The internet cannot get enough of the most beautiful libraries rankings
The internet is filled with rankings of the most beautiful libraries, either turned into pubs, restaurants, churches or the other way around, pubs turned into libraries, which does not happen very often. Skimming through rankings like these, we can take pride in the Faculty of Letters’ Library in University of Bucharest, the modern facilities of the National Library and also the Technical University’s Library in Iasi, which has been assigned the second most beautiful library in the world according to a survey by boredpanda.com.
Besides impressive architecture and design, either classical or modern ones, the role of the library is ever-changing and astonishing both for the community and the world. Some worldwide tendencies can be found in Romania too, leading to the development of the society through limited means.
The author of an article regarding the libraries and their role in the modern society, published on asperninstitute.ro, points out the duties of the libraries whose task of welcoming and supplying the public with information, education and social involvement will not change. The means of carrying off this task is what will change, in order to keep up with the times.
- Digital literacy
A study conducted in 2013 within the framework of Biblionet Project has shown that over 75% of the library users from both rural and urban areas are digitally literate, they recognize the elements and the accessories of a computer and are able to find on the internet the information they need. More than 75% of the responders have admitted that visiting the library has helped them to a great extent in developing the skills of using a computer, 81% of them saying that their current level is a good or a very good one.
The public libraries provide courses of digital literacy on a regular basis so that people of all ages will be able to use a computer, surf the Internet and then get in-depth knowledge on this.
- Creating communities which have the same hobbies
The library area has become a meeting point for those who have various fields of interest, from senior citizens who want to learn new things, children participating in workshops or reading sessions, mothers who look for someone to share their experiences with or people who look for a job. Nowadays, librarians are trained to hold lectures, can get in contact with specialists in different fields or organize events for the whole community.
- Access to modern information
The modern libraries without internet are an exception nowadays and the information found there has also changed: from the book-stock to the infinite universe of information on the internet, such as lists of mediation offices along with explained procedures or audio and electronic books.
The “Cultural Agora @ Your Library” project is a living proof of the new valences this public institution takes into consideration for two reasons: on the one hand, it teaches people how to use an application of video-editing and on the other hand, it gathers a digital history of a community, with emphasis on the cultural diversity of the ethnic groups.
You can subscribe to such stories on the Facebook page of the project, where you can find more stories, filled with life experience, told by the old or by the young:
https://www.facebook.com/agoraculturala
Cultural Agora @ Your Library is a project implemented by ANBPR in affiliation with Jazzmontor AS Norvegia and REPLIKA Cultural Association, financed through the SEE 2009-2014 Grants, the PA17/RO13 Programme “The Promotion of diversity of culture and art within the European heritage” (www.fonduri-diversitate.ro).
