“Human Resources Development” Operational Program- training opportunities for community centers librarians

04.04.2012

A regional informative seminar titled "Human Resources Development" Operational Program and training opportunities for community centers in Stara Zagora", was held at the "Zaharii Knyazheski" Regional Library Lecture Hall on March 30.  68 community centers representatives from the municipalities of Stara Zagora, Kazanlak, Maglizh, Radnevo, Galabovo, Chirpan, Nikolaevo, Gurkovo, Bratja Daskalovi, Pavel Banja as well as municipality representatives from Radnevo and Galabovo registered for participation.

Snejana Marinova, Director of "Zaharii Knyazheski" egional Library and Emil Girginov- a Methodist gave a start to the meeting with a few short words of welcome to the participants and guests. An emphasis was put on the community centers role in the development of culture in Stara Zagora and the necessity for the acquisition of a Librarian vocational education, as well as the regulatory requirements as reflected in the Public Libraries Act. The Regional Library's goal, as a Methodist centre for the Stara Zagora public libraries, is to provide practical and useful information from all the institutions that could assist the effective implementation of Library legislation regarding Bulgarian libraries and community centers. The cooperation of local authorities and professional librarian and innovative centers communities was seeked during the meeting in order to carry out career opportunities with the help of European funds and programs.

Petya Atsinova, Manager of the Regional Information Center presented the center’s opportunities for informative and expert activities.  Her team- Zdravko Ivanov, Velizara Djakova and Trifon Trifonov, in cooperation with the Regional “Labour” Directorate in Stara Zagora,  presented the training opportunities for the municipalities librarians under the “ Qualification and training for employees- phase 3” (part 2) scheme of the “Human Resources Development” Operational Program. The opportunities for application were explained- eligible candidates, activities and expenses; application forms required; project proposals deadlines;

Georgi Petrov, President of the “Innovative Community Centers” association, whose vocational training center is licensed to provide trainings for the occupation of “Librarian” and Antoaneta Dimitrova- coordinator of Qualifications and Publishing for the Bulgarian Library and Information association gave a practical example of the training needed for the acquisition of Level 3 vocational qualification for the occupation of “Librarian”. There was a demonstration of the experience gained in the already held and still ongoing trainings for community centers librarians funded under the “Human Resources Development” Operational Program and an abundance of information and advice was provided, regarding the preparation of project proposal procedure BG051PO001-2.1.16 “Qualification and Training for employees- phase 3”.

The discussion’s main subjects were the Community Centers real financial troubles and the difficulties in providing sufficient resources for the compulsory acquisition of vocational education. Issues of the sustainability and development of cultural politics in terms of branch and professional protection of occupied positions after the acquisition of necessary education. An important topic of the discussion was the financial security and the importance of the librarian profession in Bulgaria and what are the librarians to gain for their higher vocational education and many responsibilities in organizing culture events in their communities. After an emotional debate, conditions were created for organizing a peer system, assisting preparation and participation in “HRD” OP for acquisition of vocational qualification by community center workers from Stara Zagora. Three work groups were formed from the municipalities of Gurkovo, Stara Zagora, Maglizh, Nikolaevo, Kazanlak, Galabovo, Radnevo and Pavel Banya.

The management of the “Zaharii Knyazhevski” Regional Library, the representatives of the Regional Information Center, the Innovative Community Centers association and the Bulgarian Library and Information association wished success to the participants in the regional informative meeting and expressed their support of stable social, cultural and information activities of the national innovative community centers and the professional development of the Stara Zagora municipality librarians.

Emil Girginov, Methodist in “Zaharii Knyazheski” Regional library, Stara Zagora