Stip Librarians in a Study Visit to Jagodina

Jagodina Public Library hosted colleagues from the National and University Library Goce Delcev from Stip- Milena Ristova Mihajlovska, Vilma Jovanova and Sonja Maneva, as well as their local government representatives who also visited Jagodina.

At the Mayor's reception, the guests form Macedonia, the Mayor Ratko Stevanovic was handed a letter of intent by Dragan Ristov, the representative of the Stip municipality. They talked about a possible twinning cooperation between the two municipalities. Our guests were particularly interested in the social program that Jagodina is well-known for.

After the Mayor's reception, the guests visited the Bagrdan and Glogovac village libraries where the village librarians spoke about the AgroLib project implementation, practical advice how to reach vulnerable groups such as farmers. The Stip library received a grant by EIFL to replicate the AgroLib project. The guests were able to talk to the library visitors and Agrolib marketplace users about the activities and services that the village libraries provide in order to meet the needs of rural residents. Also, the  Stip librarians enjoyed sightseeing that Jagodina is famous for.

At 18 in the Jagodina Public Library, the promotion of the edition 135 volumes of Macedonian Literature. This capital project by Macedonian Ministry of Culture was presented by the Stip librarians- Milena Ristova Mihajlovska, Vilma Jovanova and Sonja Maneva. They talked about poetic and prose works in Macedonian contemporary literature. The director Milena Ristova Mihajlovska talked about Macedonian literacy from 9-18th century. Vilma Jovanova and Sonja Maneva recited verses by most famous Macedonian poets. Students from the Gymnasium in Jagodina who came to the promotion with their teacher Predrag Aleksic and local writers showed the greatest interest in this event.

Library Practice

Internet Club Ljig, libraries, archives and museums sector realized a professional-field-instructive trip for six selected libraries that belong to the network BIBLIOTEKE NAŠEG OKRUŽENJA.

The directors of libraries of Požarevac, Jagodina, Kruševac, Kikinda, Valjevo and Osečina were introduced to the topic – Transition of LIBRARIES and examples of bookmobile service in EU ( Croatia – Slovenia) in practice. The examples were those whose achievements could be an inspiration for improvement of libraries in their own communities.

The first step was a tour of the county BOOKMOBILE of GKVK  which marked 10 years of work) in the Slavonian village of Cerna. The library director of Vinkovci, Emilija Pezer held a lecture in the bookmobile. After the official part, possibilities for the realization of collaboration in the future IPA projects CRO-SRB until 2020 were discussed.

The next visit was to Kranj City Library. The colleagues were greeted by the director Breda Karun, whose name was associated with good thorough cooperation in librarianship in Slovenia, region, Europe and other continents, and her associates. During the four-hour conversation, numerous examples of good practice were exchanged, and new insight into latest technologies and methods related to library activities was gained.

On the third day, the hosts were Ljubljana City Library and Aleš Klemen, municipality coordinator, with his colleagues. They presented the library system of both Ljubljana and Slovenia to the guests. Top-notch presentations and selected examples made this day very interesting. Individual conversations were the opportunity for the guests to introduce specificity of their libraries.

Two bookmobiles (one under repair), bibliocycle, self-return machines… were just a part of the impression. The other, stronger, was futuristic, refurbished old department stores transformed into modern libraries tailor-made to both users and librarians.

What made the organizer happy was the exchange of experiences and impressions. Even more better were the ideas how to adapt something in their own communities.

Text by: Mirko Marković