2nd Forum of librarians of Belarus

From 19 to 21 May, there took place the 2nd Forum of librarians of Belarus "Humanitarian and educational activities of libraries in the context of human values and the Belarusian statehood".

It was organized by the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Belarus, the Belarusian Library Association, the National Library of Belarus and the Logoisk regional executive committee. This significant for all library branches event was attended by over 300 delegates from all regions of the country: representatives of the state and public governing establishments of a library branch, heads and leading specialists of libraries and educational institutions.

The Forum was officially opened in Minsk at the Youth Variety Theatre. At the opening there was read a welcoming speech of Minister of Culture of the Republic of Belarus Pavel Latushko. It said about the importance of the mission held by library institutions in the preservation of the cultural memory of the people, about a role of libraries in the formation of values, traditions and worldview of society. There also was said that the problems of libraries were always monitored by the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Belarus and the State Program "The Culture of Belarus" for 2011–2015 would assist to the solution of many of these problems.

After this speech chairman of the Standing Committee of the House of Representatives of the National Assembly of the Republic of Belarus on education, culture, science, and scientific and technical progress Vladimir Zdanowicz and chairman of the Central Committee of the Belarusian Trade Union of Workers of Culture Natalia Avdeeva gave an address and expressed their willingness to further cooperation with the library community for its support and development.

The participants of the plenary session listened reports given by head of cultural institutions and folklore of the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Belarus Vladimir Shevelev and chairman of the Belarusian Library Association, Director of the Minsk Regional Library named after A. Pushkin Natalia Chueva.

The first working day of the Forum began at the Belarusian State University of Culture and Arts. There was held a round table "The effective use of libraries’ workers: organizational and administrative aspect" which was participated by the representatives of the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Belarus, the Ministry of Information of the Republic of Belarus, the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection of the Republic of Belarus and the National Statistical Committee of the Republic of Belarus. The participants discussed the most relevant problems of library manpower policy, providing of libraries with qualified specialists, as well as legal and regulatory work of libraries. It was noted a need to review the existing approaches to indicators referring to groups of libraries for wages, statistical check of libraries work, requirements for the new workers of libraries in the context of the inculcation of information technology into libraries work.

The second day of the Forum held in Logoisk in the hotel Rudnya included the work of three sections with 35 reports.

The largest number of reports was presented at the section 1 "The role of libraries in the preservation and development of national culture, science and education". Its lectures told to their colleagues about their achievements in the field of humanitarian and educational activities, spiritual, moral and patriotic education of users, the development of their intellectual and creative potential, the formation of reading activity and promotion of reading as a whole.

At the section 2 "Innovation libraries" participants talked about innovations. The lectures of the section – representatives of library establishments from different regions – told about their experience in the implementation of innovations in such fields of library activity as the creation of information resources, users’ service, scientific and project work.

The section 3 "Training of library staff: problems and solutions" was devoted to manpower policy in libraries.

The closing ceremony of the 2nd Forum of librarians of Belarus took place on 21 May, 2011. At the event there were said about the importance of such events for library branch, a high level of organization of this Forum and about relevancy of discussed problems. The participants raised an issue to "Library’s capitals" of Belarus in different regions of the country and the organization of forums on their base. They would like that workers of rural libraries and young specialist more active participate in professional meetings of this level. It was stated that the best reports of the Forum would be published in magazines Bіblіyatechny svet and Bіblіyateka prapanue and in the collection of articles Bіblіyatechny vesnik.

All constructive suggestions of the Forum on the further development of libraries in Belarus will be noted in the Resolution of the Forum.