INELI Balkans in Sofia

In Sofia, 25-29 November 2016 a second meeting of librarians, participants in the project INELI Balkans was held. The meeting was organized by Greek organization Future Library in cooperation with Bulgarian Library and Information Association and Global Libraries Bulgaria foundation.

During the four-day meeting in Sofia, innovators discussed leadership skills needed for innovations, networking, creativity, changes, cooperation and flexibility. The plans are to create an online platform in different languages, so all interested librarians in the Balkans could be educated in order to build a network of modern libraries in this region. Also, the plan is to start a network of innovative librarians in Europe. 

Organizations such as INELI Balkans show that libraries have a great future, but it is necessary to change them in accordance with the development of human civilization and needs of a contemporary user.

During the last year, librarians-innovators were actively involved in online learning which included innovations, risk management, changes and project management. 

INELI Balkans (International Network of Emerging Library Innovators in Balkan region) is a three-year project by Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and the activities are carried out by Future Library from Greece. The project is focused on education of librarians-innovators in order to build a sustainable network of public libraries in the Balkans.

Innovators from 11 countries were present at the conference: Macedonia, Serbia, Montenegro, Kosovo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Slovenia, Romania, Bulgaria, Greece and Albania.

The representatives of Serbia who participated in INELI Balkans were: Jasmina Ninkov, ambasador and innovator; Marjan Marinković, The Belgrade City Library; Daniela Skoković, The Požega Public Library; Beba Stanković, the Požarevac Public Library and Vesna Crnković, the Jagodina Public Library.