Project ‘‘Bibliotekos pažangai’’ (Eng. Libraries for Innovation)

Duration: 2008 – 2012

Aims and objectives: through strengthening and using the capacities of public libraries to achieve a considerably better use of the capacities of information technologies among the Lithuanian citizens.

Participants: 1217 Lithuanian libraries including their departments and branches.

Target audience: Lietuvos VB, librarians and citizens.

Short summary: project ‘‘Libraries for Innovation’’ is implemented by a tripartite agreement between The Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Lithuania, Martynas Mažvydas National Library of Lithuania and by the Bill and Melinda Gates’ foundation which was signed 15th of November in 2007. The project ‘‘Libraries for Innovation’’ continues and complements an earlier project for the renovation and modernization of the Libraries during the period of 2003-2013 which was approved in 2002 by the Government of Lithuania. The aim and main purpose of the project is ‘’to eliminate the differences in the network of informational infrastructure in cities and smaller towns and provide equal opportunities for all the residents to use informational technologies for social and public needs’’.

Main activities: purchasing computer equipment, connecting libraries to the Internet, establishing training centres, instructing librarians and citizens, organizing technical support.

Financial support: the Bill and Melinda Gates’ foundation — Global Libraries program, Government Budget, Microsoft, Public Libraries.

Manager of the project: Dr. Zigmantas Kęstutis Juškevičius, employee at the Pattern Recognition Processes Department at KTU Institute of Informatics and Mathematics.
For more information about the project please visit www.bibliotekospazangai.lt .