Citizens of Odesa are reaping the benefits of a close partnership between the library and the local branch of The Committee of Voters of Ukraine, an NGO that works to monitor elections, raise citizen awareness and educate voters. Students and journalists have learned new technology skills and reflected on important civic issues like European integration, all at the library. The Odesa library hosts a Regional Training Center, a meeting space equipped with computers and multimedia equipment. Regional Training Centers (RTCs) were initially set up to provide a space for librarians to participate in Bibliomist trainings as their libraries joined the program, which provides computers and support for libraries to offer innovative new services. Today, they are becoming an invaluable resource for the community as local organizations partner with libraries to host joint events that connect people with library resources and expert knowledge.
Anatoliy Boyko, the director of the Committee of Voters, believes that “NGOs are bound to collaborate with libraries, as they are a precious resource.” His organization has worked with the library on a number of projects. Recently the library hosted a training for 15 local media representatives called ‘The Web 2.0 Era: Traditional Media is no longer a monopoly’ to strengthen the diversity of media in the region. Bokyo shared that “The library provided us with the infrastructure to conduct innovative trainings involving many participants, which is impossible at the offices of many non-governmental organizations.”
Another example of this collaboration is an ongoing essay contest, “Europe in Ukraine, Ukraine in Europe: Through the Eyes of the Youth,” targeted at schoolchildren from the southern Oblasts of Ukraine. Between the content knowledge from the NGO and the technological capacity of the library, the contest has been a success and encouraged dialogue among youth about issues surrounding the relationship between Europe and Ukraine.
According to librarian Tetiana Polianko, one of the prerequisites for the contest submissions is an electronic presentation, so apart from the research and creative components, winning depends on technical skills ‑ and the youth have ample opportunity to advance them at the training center.
Ms. Polianko plans to continue working with the NGO, with upcoming joint events to raise public awareness on subjects like the Constitution of Ukraine, territorial reform, and election law. This powerful collaboration demonstrates the potential of partnerships to bring resources and expertise together to support communities across Ukraine.
Bibliomist [8] is a five year IREX program that equips libraries with computers and helps librarians implement new services.