What?

The library received additional space for communication, creativity, teamwork, family recreation, new furniture, games, flooring and more. The library users will be able to take advantage of all the benefits of the creative space to organize all kinds of activities, workshops, watching movies, art studios. 

Community unification was achieved by getting everyone’s support through the fundraising campaign to support the project.

So what?

In one of the districts of Poltava, a new free space for children and their parents was created, the uniqueness of which lies in its versatility. The project aroused the interest of many users and Poltava residents in particular, and many people from all over Ukraine joined the fundraising, which testifies to the interests in the idea and its necessity.

At the moment, as COVID 19 limited activities to the online environment, online events using several platforms (Facebook page, YouTube channel and Zoom platform) reached out to more than 500 patrons.

What?

6 librarians and 6 NGO representatives from the participatory 3 countries were trained about the practical principles of engaging communities in democratic decisions and community projects, as well as plan for the implementation of the citizens hub in their libraries. Then, the 6  community teams formed by librarians, local NGO representatives and citizens worked together, and opened Citizens Hubs – spaces for citizens to gather and work together towards being active citizens involved in their communities.

So what?

Through this project,  Vâlcea County Library developed new library services and programs aimed to support communities’ needs and to develop these communities: health education programs, programs that encourage women to develop their own business, volunteer programs to involve citizens in promoting cultural and historical objectives from their communities. 

What?

The library got into partnership with NGO “ProFemeia” to carry out the Community Awareness Campaign which addresses perceptions and psychological barriers related to prejudice about women who stay at home. The Campaign is aimed at achieving a mentality change, reduction of psychological barriers related to prejudice, and increasing self-confidence, rediscover, recognise and empathise, and creating a democratic and friendly space for women.

The meetings were organized to women roles, opportunities to use new media for personal and professional development and even for earning some income. The closing activity of the campaign took place in the Library and was attended by successful women who will show-up their works, information materials, leaflets through an exhibition, thus urging women who are also in a difficult situation to follow them.

So what?

Over 45 women participated in the project activities – training, information, and communication campaigns. These women learned about the importance of involving women in decision-making, using new media as an opportunity in personal and professional development, how the hobby can bring income using new media and why successful women are role models.

Sinighin Lidia, a project participant, says: “Each of us can consider ourselves a successful woman, depending on how we perceive the concept of “success “. Lidia Petriciuc from Buciumeni shared: “I don’t consider myself a successful woman, but after today’s event I am more confident in myself and I can certainly say that I am a successful woman”.

In future, we will promote successful women from Ungheni district by hosting monthly exhibitions created by them. At the activity of the public Café “Successful women, models to follow” a schedule of exhibitions was drawn up and it was agreed that the librarian from the territorial libraries should also be directly involved by encouraging and supporting the ladies. The works will be exhibited in the exhibition showcases that will be created by the end of 2020 within the given project.