вторник, 4 декабря 2018 г.

Farewell Novateca


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!