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PUBLIC LIBRARY
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Modernization |
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About the Library
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Program "Public Library of Klaipeda Municipality – Centre of Information, Self – Education and Culture" Library staff, marketing future, noticed that user demands have been changed. Consumers look for quality and interactivity. We understood that technologies would play major role in the knowledge society. Libraries turned into institutions that take care of traditional as well as digital cultural and informational resources around the world. Program "Public Library of Klaipeda Municipality – Centre of Information, Self – Education and Culture", created in 1997, was start point of library modernization process. The goals of the programme were to build enriched, protected environment and new services, to meet customer’s demands and allow them participate in the Information Society. The directions of modernization are the library processes automation, creation of access to the Internet at the library, creation of electronic resources and services, specialization of services under demand of users. Thinking of the innovative ways of how better exploit might of the library resources and how to make friendship with new information technologies we prepared few projects. Open Society Institution (Budapest), Open Society Fund – Lithuania supported implementation of the projects and organized shearing of new ideas with colleagues. Renovation of the premises was covered by Municipality and supporting organizations. As the youth was the most prepared to use new information technologies at the moment,
so the first step was creation of the Internet access room for them. Project
Establishment of the Internet Access Room within the Public Library of Klaipeda
Municipality was realized in October 1998. We have noticed great children’s interest to the Internet, after the Internet access Room was opened. The next step was creation of new services for children. We renovated the Children's Department, created new surroundings and have realized the project Children Library – Children Information, Self - Education and Culture Center in November 1999. Now we have a modern children's library. Librarians of public and school libraries lack methodological means that would assist children learning about information possibilities of ordinary libraries and of using electronic facilities. We train children to use sources of information in the flexible and creative way at the Children Information Skills Development Center. The centre consults librarians in how to form children’s information skills. The methodical centre was organized and methodical material “Information skills learning” was created for public and school librarians of the city and surrounding region. Teaching children information skills is a continual process. We organize and provide services for disabled children and children from the poor families. This is done with the Toys and Games Center together with Klaipeda City Municipality Service for Protection of Children's Rights. Agreements with schools for disables were signed and guarantee priority for them in the use of library services. Also Europe Information Center have been opened in 2000, and was founded by the Government of Sweden under the framework of the Baltic States to maintain the demands for information about the membership in the EU, to introduce the present member states of the EU to the community of the city and region, to identify the role of Lithuania. The project Creating our Environment continued the library modernization program in 2001. It is directed toward the youth, seeking of self-perfection and artists, who develop various art projects and their application methods, increasing art accessibility and openness to the society. The information canters "Man, art, environment", web site “Artists of Klaipeda Region and Lithuania Minor” and CD Klaipeda City Immovable Values of Culture devoted to 750 years Jubilee of Klaipeda City have been created at the Art Department. Having decided that digital information will be accessible to the elderly people as well; in 2002 we prepared and implemented the project “Friendly internet for elderly people”. In the newly renovated department of the library “Kauno atþalynas” we have established computer literacy and information centre for elderly people. With the help of various charity providers and our financial resources for special expenditures we have renovated the premises, purchased new furniture and introduced security measures. With the support of Open Lithuanian Fund we have purchased computers for this centre and we have started implementation of the main goals of the project:
While establishing the information centre for elderly people we have created a Web site: www.biblioteka.lt/senjorai for this target group. Library, together with Ministry of Justice, formatted Legal Inquiry Office at the Branch library “Kauno atþalynas” in 2003. Users can directly submit questions relating to civil or criminal low to specialists of the Ministry through the Office, and find out specific issues on these topics. In 2002 – 2003 alliance Window to the Future launched a project to promote the use of Internet in Lithuania and established two public Internet access points at the branch libraries “Melnragë” and “Laukininkai”. Years 2003 and 2004 were devoted for renovation and modernization of largest Branch library “Pempinikai”. Library, well equipped with modern information technologies, became the most attractive library in the Klaipeda city. Now, all library departments and 8 branch libraries have been connected to Internet and have the direct access to the LIBIS catalogue through the World Wide Web. LIBIS also offers other Internet based services related to the library. New ideas and new projects come into being. We are deepening the content and looking for new forms of activity to modernize all library system. |
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© Public Library of Klaipeda Municipality