Farewell Novateca
December 27, 2018
Last week, librarians all over Moldova gathered together in
Moldexpo hall in Chisinau to say goodbye to a great organization which
modernized and revitalized libraries in the country and turned them into community
centers for learning, entertainment, and innovation.
Novateca came to Moldova
seven years ago, sponsored by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, to work with
Moldovan citizens and provide internet access, modern computers and help
improve library services to benefit the community. Novateca worked hard to increase
public support for libraries and increased library attendance, partnering with
the Ministry of Culture, the Ministry of Labor, Family and Social Protection, increasing
partnerships with NGO’s and most importantly, turn the libraries a place where
people in the community can come and learn, be empowered by information, and help
improve their lives.
To do so, Novateca provided libraries with modern
technology: computers, internet access, smartboards, laptops and tablets,
computer programs, and others. Then they trained librarians in the use of this
technology, and also assisted in improving their personal and professional
development. Through this partnership, Novateca helped create new services in
libraries – each services are unique to each communities in Moldova, depending
on their needs. Many libraries created programs for elderly citizens and
teaching them how to use computers, help job seekers use the internet and write
resumes and CV’s to help improve their job search, create clubs for teenagers
and teach them how to build robots and machines, events to help people with
disabilities and many more programs. Doing so, the libraries have become a
great social and cultural center for communities in Moldova, and many people
are benefiting because of this work.
Novateca also trained librarians who would become librarian
trainers. They conducted seminars in advocacy, internet security, computer skills,
inclusion, and more.
The event in Chisinau showed the expanse of success Novateca
had done in its 7 year campaign. Moldovan librarians came together and showed
new technology from their libraries: arts and crafts, robotics, computer
training, and community outreach. It was a great day for the librarians to be
able to speak with their fellow colleagues from different raions. Members of
the Novateca staff were present, and the librarians expressed their gratitude
for the staff’s hard work. Evan Tracz, the director of the Novateca program,
expressed his thanks and gratitude to his colleagues and the librarians he had
gotten to know over the years.
And even though Novateca has now ended in Moldova, this is
not the end for the continuing progress that the community libraries have made.
Now librarians will be able to pass on their knowledge to future colleagues.
Citizens, both young and old, are now learning how to use this technology and
bring their ideas into action.
For the Ceadir Lunga Public District Library, our librarians
remain committed to the mission of Novateca. We help job seekers to use
computers so they can find jobs. Teenagers come to our youth clubs after school
to learn English, exchange different ideas, and have fun instead of being in
the streets. Children always come to play games and learn. Libraries from all
over the raion come to ours for training and other events. We are all working
together to improve our communities.
Thank you for your hard work Novateca, and goodbye!
