LIBRARY AT PROSVETEN LUCH 1905 PUBLIC CHITALISHTE

SAPAREVA BANYA

PROJECTS IMPLEMENTED IN PARTNERSHIP. SHARED

EXPERIENCE

Prosveten Luch Public Chitalishte was established in 1905. Traditionally, the library is the foundation of the chitalishte. Our chitalishte library is a public library on the territory of Sapareva Banya, built on the principles of closeness, accessibility and efficiency of the library and information service provision to our 4,000 inhabitants.

MISSION:

Our mission is to be an intermediary between information and users in the fast-paced world and work for the establishment of the library as a public information and cultural center providing equal access to all, including disadvantaged groups.

Our library is a fundamental and inseparable part of our town’s cultural, educational and information infrastructure.

Principles of our library operations include: Freedom of information Access for everyone Contribution to local culture development Library without walls

To pursue its mission, our library seeks to mobilize additional financial resources

through participation in projects, fundraising, donations, etc.

PROJECTS IMPLEMENTED IN PARTNERSHIP:

Global Libraries – Bulgaria Folklore and Tourism in Sapareva Banya Region Traveling Neighbor’s Plate Reconstruction of the Chitalishte Building

GLOBAL LIBRARIES – BULGARIA

The project is implemented within the Global Libraries – Bulgaria Program of the Ministry of Culture and the United Nations Development Program. This program is implemented at the initiative of Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Our library joined it at the first stage of its implementation with the support of Sapareva Banya Municipality.

MAIN PROJECT ACTIVITIES

• Our library received three desktop computer configurations and a multimedia device.

• Provision of free internet to library visitors.

• Participation in the multi-component training of librarians.

The library before the renovation

ACHIEVED RESULTS

• The Global Libraries Program has changed the image of our library, transforming it into a modern information center. The number of people who want to use the computers is very big. My request to the program management is to increase the number of computers and multimedia devices so that the library can respond to users’ demands.

• We have included our patrons in the global information society and thus we have improved the quality of their lives.

FOLKLORE AND TOURISM IN SAPAREVA BANYA REGION

The project was implemented under the Youth Program of the Ministry of Youth and Sport in partnership with Aleko

Konstantinov Vocational High School of Tourism and Administration in

Sapareva Banya and a group of young people from the Netherlands.

MAIN PROJECT ACTIVITIES

• Welcoming and getting to know the young people from the Netherlands

• Presentation on Sapareva Banya and its landmarks

• Hiking to Ovcharchenski Waterfalls

• Organize an ethnographic exhibition at the chitalishte

• Organize a folklore concert with the folklore companies in the municipality

OTHER PROJECT ACTIVITIES

Hiking from Sapareva Banya to the Seven Rila Lakes

Renew hiking signs Renew hiking trail marking Excursion to Rila

Monastery Publish a songbook of

folklore songs from our region

Renewal of hiking trail signs

ACHIEVED RESULTS

The library expanded its collections with the valuable regional studies publication “Songbook”. Project participants and active readers collected and recorded folklore songs from our region.

The implementation of this project facilitated young people’s personality development. They learned to work in a team and found new friends. Our region’s folklore, traditions and natural grandeurs were promoted.

TRAVELING NEIGHBOR’S PLATE

The project was implemented under the PHARE Program, measure “Development of Local Cultural Initiatives”, by the municipal administration of Sapareva Banya and its key partner Prosveten Luch 1905 Public

Chitalishte.

MAIN PROJECT ACTIVITIES

• Unite people in the community around natural neighbors’ relations

• Revive and diversify neighbors’ relations across the municipality

• Collect and preserve traditional culinary recipes from our region

Good neighbors are a real treasure.

OTHER PROJECT ACTIVITIES

• Prepare a schedule and itineraries for the traveling neighbor’s plate

• Collect recipes in a template

• Organize a culinary exhibition and a folklore concert

Project kick-off

Traditional dishes The traveling neighbor’s plate

ACHIEVED RESULTS

The traveling neighbor’s plate toured more than 400 houses across the municipality.

The library’s role was to prepare the templates for the traditional dishes and promote the idea of compiling a recipe book among its patrons. More than 200 recipes for Bulgarian dishes were collected, systematized and sent for printing. The library’s and chitalishte’s influence among municipality inhabitants enhanced.

RECONSTRUCTION OF THE CHITALISHTE

BUILDING

The project is implemented under the Rural Development Program of the Ministry of

Agriculture and Food, measure 321. The project proposal was designed by

the Municipality and its beneficiary is the chitalishte. The project amount

totals BGN 928,874.

MAIN PROJECT ACTIVITIES

• Improve the population’s access to cultural services related to local population’s and town visitors’ leisure and recreation time

• The project envisages total reconstruction of the library, the cinema hall and the other chitalishte halls

• The project also envisages new furniture

EXPECTED RESULTS

• By implementing this project, we hope to improve the library’s public image, expand its impact among new patrons and guests of Sapareva Banya.

• The Municipality has supported us and designed this large-scale project. While we hoped that the reconstruction would be finalized by 2010, it was launched in September 2011.

• We hope that after the end of the project we will have a modern library meeting readers’ new demands.

Our good partners also include Hristo Botev Primary School, St. Anna Kindergarten, the disabled people’s club, etc.

Partnership is a decisive factor for mobilizing project funding and implementation; as long as understanding and a helping hand are available, results are easy to achieve.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION!

Prepared by Yordanka Neshova,

Librarian at Prosveten Luch 1905 Public Chitalishte,

Sapareva Banya e-mail: proluch@abv.bg; GLBG0759@glbulgaria.bg