From November 2007 – November 2008, the Global Libraries – Romania team implemented a Community Participation Contest (CPC) to encourage innovation and community building among the Romanian library community. This monthly contest funded technology-based projects designed by librarians in collaboration with community members. Selection criteria included: originality, community participation, innovative uses of technology, and ease of replication. 14 projects were funded, many of which revolved around documenting and digitizing local culture and traditions. Funding ranged from $1,500-$2,500, depending on the scope of the project, and many librarians have found ways to extend work on the project beyond the award, either through local cost-share or external funding. The November 2007 winner from Jurilovca Public Library, for example, used CPC funds to purchase equipment to create a digital archive of local heritage materials, including scanning books and photographs and recording folklore (stories and songs) performed by community members.

1. Library helps Russian minority preserve traditions online www.biblionet.ro 1

2. Me (and some of the things I love) Anca Rapeanu Library Specialist IREX Biblionet Global Libraries Initiative Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation arapeanu@irex.ro http://www.biblionet.ro 2

3. My country: Romania 3 Area: 238,391 km2 Population: 21,504,442 Ethnic groups: 89.5% Romanians, 6.6% Hungarians, 2.5% Roma 1.4% other minority groups 41 counties + Bucharest www.biblionet.ro

4. Romania EU Country since 2007 9th largest territory 7th largest population among the European Union member states. 4

5. My libraries 2943 public libraries 3838 computers 1250 computers for public use 922 computers connected to Internet 5

6. My (OUR) chance Global Libraries Initiative IREX Biblionet Program 6

7. Global Libraries Initiative help public libraries evolving into vital tools that can advance the lives of people. “The vision of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is to bring about effective, sustainable public access to information and communication technology in libraries for people in developing and transitioning countries who would not otherwise have access, and to ensure it is useful and used in ways that improve people’s lives and spread the benefits.” Global Libraries programs are implemented in 10 countries: Chile and Mexico, Botswana, Vietnam, Lithuania and Latvia, Poland, Bulgaria, Ukraine, and Romania. 7

8. IREX IREX is an international nonprofit organization providing leadership and innovative programs to improve the quality of education, strengthen independent media, and foster pluralistic civil society development. Founded in 1968, IREX works in more than 50 countries with a staff of over 500 professionals worldwide. 8

9. Biblionet – the world in my library! provide increased access to information for Romanians by helping libraries better serve their communities. 26,9 mil $, 5 years equip up to 1,500 out of 2,943 public libraries in Romania with public access computers; provide training to librarians on IT skills, service delivery and advocacy strengthen the ANBPR to support librarians and library development over the long-term; work with government at all levels to implement policies that recognize the value of modern libraries in 21st century Romanian society. 9

10. My “child”: Community Participation Contest (CPC) A competition organized by BIBLIONET to encourage innovation and community building among the Romanian library community. This monthly contest funded technology-based projects designed by librarians in collaboration with community members. 10

11. CPC priorities to encourage innovation and community outreach among Romanian librarians; to extend the reach of the planning grant beyond pilot site libraries; to reach out other types of libraries (academic, school, special, etc.) that are not primary beneficiaries of Global Libraries activities. 11

12. CPCthe big picture 12 114 proposals submitted, 3 to 18 per month Selection criteria: originality, community participation, innovative uses of technology, ease of replication Selection panel: IREX staff, librarians, NGO representatives Successes: high levels of community participation, new faces in the library Difficulties: limited technology skills, limited project management experience

13. CLIO - Center for Promoting Local Culture and Traditions of Jurilovca Located on the border of the Razim-Sinoe Lagoon in Romania’s Danube Delta Jurilovca was established at the end of the 18th century by Russians fleeing persecution for opposing Russian Orthodox Church reforms ORGAME / ARGAMUM - is the first urban settlement from Romanian territory mentioned in an ancient source (Hecataeus of Miletus, mentioned this Milesian colony, Orgame, at the middle of the 7-th century BC; after Dobrogea annexation by Romans, they named it, Argamum). 13

14. Jurilovca – the people 2,800 of Jurilovca’s 3,200 residents are Russian-speaking Lipoveni, descendents of the Staroveri or “Old Believers preserve their “roots”, protecting their religious and cultural traditions, passing them along with pride to the new generations 14

15. CLIO - the project, the team… project team: formal and informal leaders of the local community, teachers and students, under the coordination of history professor Paul Condrat and librarian GheorghiţaCuţopal. projects’ objective: to help Jurilovca find a balance between promoting economic and community development, and preserving a vibrant, but deteriorating Russian cultural heritage. 15

16. gossip time! Who is Gheorghita Cutopal Librarian in Jurilovca commune, Tulcea County ??? 16 16

17. 17

18. … the community How they did it? engaged elder members of the Russian-speaking community: share local folklore by retelling folktales to groups of school children in Russian, digitally recording them, and uploading the recordings to the newly created website, www.bibliotecajurilovca.ro. Old books and family pictures brought them to the library to be digitized and posted on the webpage community volunteers conducted research and organized the materials 18

19. www.bibliotecajurilovca.ro The coupling of both the older and younger generations through modern technologies created a unique “cultural bridge”, by gathering old traditions and documents from community members, and making them accessible to the general public through the newly established website. 19

20. 20

21. http://www.bibliotecajurilovca.ro Ecaterina Feodot, one of the „babuskas”, said: ”My grandchildren are grown-ups now. So I couldn’t be happier to have grand-children to listen to my stories, all around the world!” Visit Jurilovca, on/offline!! 21

22. Thank you very much! 22