More than 50 children’s libraries from all over the country will be outfitted with tablet PCs, computers and network equipment for facilitating the people’s free access to the Internet within a new stage of the project “Novateca” that wasd launched in Chisinau on September 6. The librarians will be trained by specialists of the National Children’s Library “Ion Creanga” to use table PCs and educational applications for children and teens within a number of mini-workshops, IPN reports.
Attending the event, Minister of Culture Monica Babuc said the project “Novateca”, which was launched several years ago, achieved extraordinary results. “A number of 758 public libraries of the country were renovated and equipped with over 2,000 computers. There were opened 35 centers for training librarians in all the districts and over 70% of the personnel of libraries were trained to work in modern public libraries,” stated the official.
At the new stage of “Novateca”, 56 public libraries were included in the project’s network for being renovated and modernized. As the children are the target public, this will happen under the aegis of employees of the National Children’s Library “Ion Creanga”, who will share their knowledge with the librarians of the country.
As to the renovated libraries, Monica Babuc said these continue to modernize. A sum of US$3 million was invested in public libraries through “Novateca” so far. By the end of the project, more than 1,000 public libraries of the about 1,200 are to be renovated.
Asked about the procedure for selecting libraries for renovation within the project, the minister said the libraries must make their own contribution to the repair works. A number of clear conditions were set both for libraries and for the local public authorities.
National Children’s Library “Ion Creanga” vice director Eugenia Bejan spoke about the process of training librarians. “Today we will show to the librarians how the table PC can be used for educational purposes and how we can develop creative abilities in children through it. We will also speak about the equipment of libraries and the rules of using the Internet by children in libraries, about the relationship between libraries and the local public authorities. When the librarians return home, the libraries start to be outfitted,” she stated.
The inclusion of children’s libraries in the network “Novateca” is envisioned in a memorandum of understanding signed by the Ministry of Culture and “Novateca”/IREX Moldova.
