On September 11, the National Press Center hosted a press conference on "Public libraries: rudiment or modern information centers? The search for a format that is adequate to present day. "
During the conversation, tendencies were noted in the development of the library network, informatization of Belarusian libraries and the renewal of book funds. Topical problems of the sphere were mentioned, such as the distribution of financing and servicing of rural settlements.
The main theme of the meeting is the changing role of libraries in the life of modern society. Thus, Elena Dolgopolova, the first deputy director for user services and ideology of the National Library of Belarus, put forward the idea of using the library as a venue for intellectual leisure, and called on the media to cooperate.
At the conference spoke Sergey Botyan, the chief specialist of the culture and folk art sector of the main department of culture and analytical work of the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Belarus, Inna Yurik, the director of the Scientific Library of the Belarusian National Technical University and chair of the Council of the Belarusian Library Association, and Tatyana Shved, the director of the Centralized Children's Library System of Minsk.
Annually, about 120 thousand citizens visit Minsk child libraries. 75 percent of readers are up to 15 years old. In general, the country's library system covers more than 7,000 public and special institutions. The total volume of their fund is about 180 million copies.
