On 4-5 November International Documentary Human Rights Festival Docudays UA together with the program “Bibliomist” arranged a workshop for moderators of a whole network of new Docudays UA  film clubs in the libraries of the program. They are being opened all over Ukraine especially in towns and villages in Eastern regions (Novopskov, Lysychansk, Kostiantynivka, Mariupol, Druzhkivka, Shabelkivka) which means a big step forward for the project.

Together with Yaroslava Tytarenko “Bibliomist” program Deputy Director, IREX/Ukraine we discussed the role of modern library for local communities development, the place occupied by cinema among books and the importance of a dialogue with the population of Eastern regions.  

“Modern library has to be ready for changes” 

Modern library today is the community centre which provides a wide range of requested services for library visitors, has qualified personnel and is open to forming partnership with various local organizations. As far as the general state is concerned, of course there is a number of problems. This includes insufficient financing of library sector and library fund obsolescence as well as – in many cases – the lack of computers with free Internet access, etc. But modern library has to be ready for changes and cooperation with a wide number of partners. Its specialists should aim at self-improvement and professional competence upgrade which will allow them to react quickly to library visitors needs. Modern library should be active and able to protect own interests. 

Global library network

 “Bibliomist” program (full name is “Global Libraries “Bibliomist – Ukraine”) is introduced together with the Minister of Culture of Ukraine,  the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), under assistance of Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, which provided a grant of USD 25 mio. Microsoft Corporation provided all participating libraries with software for the amount of nearly USD 9 mio free of charge. As at today according to financing amount and scale of outreach “Bibliomist” is the largest project of international technical aid in Ukraine.The purpose of the project is to help communities in Ukraine by modernizing access to information in public libraries. Within the program 1930 modern libraries were equipped (44% of which are in the country), 25 training centres were founded in all regions of Ukraine, there are 3670 computers in equipped libraries.

Only books are not enough! 

Docudays UA film clubs opening in the libraries is an excellent possibility to add another modern service and attract more visitors to libraries. This increases the role of the library as the community centre, that’s why we were at once interested in Docudays UA suggestion and we eagerly accepted cooperation and possibility to increase the number of film clubs in our libraries all over the country. Only books are not enough.

Modern library is also the community communication centre and watching documentary films together and their discussion among those who are interested draws attention to the library and helps to attract new visitors. The more innovational services offers a library, the bigger is the community interest!

We expect that all 30 new film clubs in modern libraries will be successful and will unite their visitors even more. We truly believe in their constant development and new library service popularization all over the country. Opening film clubs in libraries in the East of the country is even more up-to-date because it’s their mission to contribute to dialogue, tolerance and better understanding in communities of these regions.  

Text prepared by Tanya Mala