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Library - 1997-1999
Program Coordinator: Yegana Mammadova
Open access to information and knowledge is vital to an open society. For reasons ranging from lack of government funding, the historical dependence of republican libraries on Moscow, lack of US government funding due to pressure from the Armenian lobby, to generally poor infrastructure, libraries in Azerbaijan lag far behind their sister institutions in western Europe and even in Russia. Support for libraries is one way to work against Azerbaijan's isolation, provincialism and information vacuum.
The Projects that OSI has been concentrating over '97-99 are:
Collection development program
- Provide up-to-date scientific literature for academics, students and the general population in Baku and Gandja
- Provide up-to-date social science journals for professors, students and the general public
- Connect Azerbaijan with the flow of international academic information and debate
- Reduce Azerbaijan's provincialism
- Increase library collections of social sciences and humanities literature
- Develop links between Azerbaijan libraries and foreign libraries and publishers
Science Journal Donation Project (SJDP): OSI-Azerbaijan began work with the OSI-NY SJDP program in 1998, providing journals to 3 libraries in Baku: the Academy of Science Library (73 titles), Akhundov National Library (6 titles), and Western University Library (9 titles.). In 1999 OSI-Azerbaijan continued its donations to the Academy of Science library and also expanded the program to Baku State University Library, and regional institutes: Gandja Pedagogical Institute and Gandja Agriculture Institute.
Journal Donation Project: In 1998 OSI-Azerbaijan donated journals to five institutes in Baku: Western University (22 titles), Baku Medical University (15 titles), Khazar University (25 titles), the Baku Institute of Public Administration and Social Management (BSIPI) (30 titles), and Baku State University (21 titles). Each recipient received up to 3-year subscriptions to the selected journals. In 1999 OSI-Azerbaijan added to the titles at the above institutes and also offers journals to the Gandja Pedagogical Institute. In addition, the Academy of Sciences Library joined the program.
Pushkin Project: OSI-Azerbaijan is participating in the Pushkin Project, the mega-project beginning in 1998 in Russia. This project enables Baku and regional libraries to expand their collections in the social sciences and humanities. In 1999 fifteen Baku and regional libraries received books through the Pushkin Project.
Library Automation
- Improve library access to information
- Improve users' access to information
- Develop library technology
- Improve librarians' computer skills and Internet awareness
- Encourage sharing of materials through inter-library loan
- Encourage cooperation between libraries
Library Automation Programs:
During 1997-1999 years, training on Automation and Internet was conducted for staff members. The NLP automation consultant visit assisted librarians to identify necessary steps to automate the main Baku libraries.
Library Staff Training
- Improve professionalism of librarians
- Introduce new methods/systems to Azerbaijan librarians
- Increase success of library automation program
- Capitalize on opportunities within OSI network
In 1997-1999 Azerbaijan librarians attended a series of conferences and training seminars as seen in the list of grants to individuals.
Regional Projects:
- Address the information vacuum in the regions of Azerbaijan, especially among the IDP population
- Give regional libraries and residents better access to information
- Develop regional libraries as community centers and catalysts for civic initiative
- 1997 Program Expenses: USD 5,737
- 1998 Program Expenses: USD 77,968
- 1999 Program Expenses: USD 146,090
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