PUBLIC LIBRARIES IN UKRAINE OPEN A NEW CHAPTER

(From left to right) USAID Regional Mission Director Janina Jaruzelski, Deputy Director of Global Libraries, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Deborah Jacobs and IREX President Robert Pearson at the Bibliomist project launch. Support from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation will Help Transform Public Libraries in Ukraine into Community Centers through Computers and Internet Access.   The International Research & Exchanges Board (IREX) has partnered with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), and the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of Ukraine to foster the development of a modern public library system in Ukraine through the Bibliomist program.  Bibliomist will work together with national and local governments across Ukraine to help libraries better serve their communities through training and technology.  Bibliomist is supported by a $25 million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.   The four-year program will equip more than 1,000 public libraries in Ukraine with access to computers and the Internet.  It will also train librarians how to introduce innovative services and strengthen the capacity of the Ukrainian Library Association (ULA), so it can continue to support and advocate for modern libraries in Ukraine.   In support of the goals of the program, Microsoft Corp., a partner of the foundation’s Global Libraries initiative, will donate an estimated $4.4 million in software to Ukraine’s public libraries.  Shared access to computing is a priority for Microsoft Ukraine through its Unlimited Potential program, which donates software to non-profits and sponsors e-skills trainings throughout Ukraine. Research shows that better equipped and more active libraries are an important catalyst for economic development.  According to a report by the St.  Louis Public Library in the United States, for every $1 invested in a library, the community sees a return of $4.  Yet, Bibliomist’s needs assessment indicates that currently only 2.5% of public libraries in Ukraine offer free access to the Internet to library users, while in a number of European countries the percentage is over 75%. Bibliomist is rolling out its activities today by opening a National Training Center for librarians at the State Academy for Managers in Culture and the Arts (DAKKKiM) and launching an application process for training centers for librarians throughout the country.   Libraries in Kyiv and throughout the country are organizing a variety of special events today in celebration of National Librarian Day to demonstrate the essential services that Internet-enabled libraries can deliver to communities. For more information about Bibliomist, visit http://www.bibliomist.org. ### The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation’s Global Libraries initiative is working to open the world of knowledge, information and opportunity to many more people.  Part of the Global Development Program, Global Libraries works with select countries that demonstrate a need and a readiness to help public libraries provide free access to computers and the Internet, and training on how to make full use of these tools.  Microsoft is a partner of Global Libraries and donates software to partners who request it.  The initiative is working to transform public libraries into vital resources that can help improve the lives of millions of people. ### IREX is an international nonprofit organization providing leadership and innovative programs to improve the quality of education, strengthen independent media, and foster pluralistic civil society development.  Founded in 1968, IREX works in more than 100 countries with a staff of over 500 professionals worldwide. ### The American people, through the U.S.  Agency for International Development, have provided economic and humanitarian assistance worldwide for nearly 50 years.  In Ukraine, USAID’s assistance focuses on the following areas: Economic Growth, Democracy and Governance, Health and Social Sector.  Since 1992, USAID has provided $1.6 billion worth of technical and humanitarian assistance to Ukraine to further the processes of democratic development, economic restructuring and social sector reform in the region.   ### About Microsoft Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT”) is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential.