The National Library and the Novateca/ AO IREX Moldova Program has signed today, August 17, a memorandum that extends the modernization program for public libraries. A national framework for library assessment will be developed, to determine the impact of the services provided to society, as well as provision with licensed software for regional public libraries, IPN reports.
Igor Șarov, State Secretary at the Ministry of Education, Culture, and Research, said this document is important for the library sector and is a good technical investment, for the National Library as well, which ought to become an epicenter for nation-wide librarian training.
Evan Tracz, Novateca Program director, mentioned that the goal of the program is to support Moldovan public libraries in creating community-centered services, and the memorandum is a component of this objective. “We consider that data, their collection, as well as impact assessment are important, as they aren’t merely to know how many people use this type of service, but also to assess the impact of libraries, how it reflects on the people, trends, and evolution in use of library services by community members,” claims the director of Novateca.
Another important component of the memorandum is the software available for libraries. The National Library becomes a national coordinator in obtaining licensed software for all public libraries in Moldova, which will also save great amounts of money.
According to National Library director Elena Pintilei, the object of this agreement is a dream come true, which is already yielding great results in the modernization of libraries across Moldova, through implementation of new practices of assessing and monitoring public library activity.
The memorandum is in effect for a period of five years.
