Redesigning the role of public libraries in Romania

DOINA POPADOINA POPA President of the ANBPR

European Congress on E-Inclusion 2011Brussels, 7 September

Overall context

• 2836 Public Libraries:→ 10,65% urban;→ 89,35% rural;

• 4481 librarians;

• 4251 workstations for users, with Internet connection:→ 44,34% urban; → 55,66% rural;

• Implementation of the Biblionet Program in a five years period; 

• Public libraries are perceived more through the traditional services than

through the ones that support e-Government and e-Inclusion;

• 95% of the territory has broadband Internet coverage - 7th place in the world;

• 8 million Internet users - 34th in the world.

About The National Association of Public Libraries and Librarians in Romania

• Performs constant activities since its establishment in 1990;

• Has over 3,300 active members, individuals and legal entities;

• Has national coverage with its 41 county branches;

• Organizational structure: General Assembly of the Association,

Governing Board, Executive Board;

• Strategic partner in the Biblionet Program;

• Benefits from an organizational development grant during

2009-2013;

• Participates in the process of redesigning the role of public libraries

in a knowledge based society.

Investment in public libraries

• Funded Program: Biblionet;

• Financing: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, through Global Libraries

Program;

• Implementation: IREX Foundation;

• Partners: ANBPR, Ministry of Culture and National Heritage – MCPN, public

libraries and local government;

• Target: disadvantaged population in terms of Internet access and digital

literacy;

• Beneficiary: public libraries in Romania and ANBPR;

• Purpose of investment: public access to information and knowledge through

modern technology, and repositioning the role of libraries as institutions which

link citizens and the Information and Communication Technologies - IT&C;

The impact of the investment

Contribution to decrease of the digital discrepancy between urban and rural areas by endowing the public libraries with IT&C

2008 2010

Workstations for users: 1233 4251

- urban 89,78% 44,34% - rural 10,22% 55,66%

Creating a modern library system including over 70% of the public libraries and ensuring e-Inclusion unity efforts;

Free Internet access, equipment with IT&C and availability of the trained staff will ensure an important progress for Romania, in terms of Internet use and access, digital literacy and skills for the population and IT&C availability.

The impact of the investment

Confidence in the ability of public libraries and ANBPR to participate in

building a knowledge based society;

Changing the mentality of librarians, local and central authorities partners

in this program and the beneficiary communities;

Acceleration of the organizational development of the ANBPR;

Rethinking the role of public libraries in the community by defining and

developing them as institutions with important responsibilities in e-

Inclusion;

Taking courses of action through which ANBPR supports the participation

of public libraries to achieve objectives of e-Inclusion.

Participation of public libraries in the e-Inclusion process

Modern public library system created by Biblionet supports the process of e-Inclusion by:

 

• Expanding the access for population to broadband Internet as a free service;

• Librarians’ participation to citizens’ "digital literacy" and skills training in the field;

• Ensuring equal rights of access to IT&C in public libraries;

• Informing citizens about the importance of IT&C for all professions and fields of activity;

• Advocacy actions to promote the role of public libraries to support

e-Government services.

ANBPR supports the redesign of the role of public libraries

Lines of action:

1. Structuring and activity designing documents:

• The draft strategy on "Development of Romanian public libraries in the context

of knowledge based economy and electronic communications in Romania for

2014 - 2020", in cooperation with IREX and MCSI;

• Procedures initiation to obtain the status of "Public Utility Association“.

2. Strategic protocols for building sustainable links with central

and local government:

• Collaboration protocol between MCPN, IREX and ANBPR;

• Collaboration protocol between MCSI, IREX and ANBPR;

ANBPR supports the redesign of the role of public libraries

Lines of action:

• Collaboration protocols with the Associations of Local Public Administration:

– Municipalities Association in Romania – AMR;

– Towns Association in Romania – AOR;

– Villages Association in Romania – ACoR;

– National Union of County Councils in Romania – UNCJR.

3. Libraries involvement in e-Inclusion activities at an European

level:

• “European Week of Digital Skills” - 2010;

• „Get online!”, action organized to increase the number of digital literate people -

2010 and 2011.

ANBPR supports the redesign of the role of public libraries

Lines of action:

4. Training and professional development:

• Our own training center;

• Accredited courses;

• Developing an e-learning platform;

• Facilitated training participation through a voucher system;

• Library Services Development Courses – DSB;

• Our own DSB teaching manual;

• Grants for participation at international conferences.

Conclusions

National context that reinforces the new role of libraries depends on:

• A better understanding of the e-Inclusion concept;

• Firm option to support intelligent work, based on IT&C;

• Perceiving public libraries as essential leverages in developing public

services and supporting e-Inclusion;

• Coordination of e-Inclusion actions by integrating all stakeholders;

• Less statements and more facts;

• Internal policies and legislation supporting the e-Inclusion process;

• Persuade the public regarding the impact of IT&C on social and

economic life and the need of digital literacy and skills;

• Analyzing and comparing the results in this field.