WITH A PROJECT OF UNDP AND MONEY FROM THE KINGDOM NORWAY – JEGUNOVCE WITH A NEW LIBRARY

(Dnevnik, 29.11.2007) – A new library, first after the independence of the country will be opened in Jegunovce Municipality, at the beginning of 2008. The construction of the facility is almost completed and it should be soon equipped with new furniture, library equipment and books. The opening of the new cultural institution is part of a bigger project “Friendly libraries for all citizens”, through which under the leadership of UNDP (United Nations Development Program) in the last two and a half years and with funds from the Kingdom Norway, the libraries in Radovis, Strumica and Kavadarci have been renovated and modernized. As UNDP is saying, the library in Jegunovce Municipality will operate under the principle of the Scandinavian institutions of such type, which unlike the classic libraries are functioning as multifunctional cultural centers. Apart from the possibility to rent books, the readers in the new library building will be also able to use computers, printers, scanners, watch movies, attend scientific gatherings, exhibitions, fairs, concerts.

- This library will be the first cultural institution that will be opened in the country after its independence as a complete new facility. Very soon after that it will be registered, which will be the first time to register a new facility for library scope of work. The local libraries have a huge potential to serve as multifunctional civil centers and to improve the access to information for the citizens. The library in Jegunovce Municipality will have a significant social role and may become an initiator of the cultural and economic development in that region – says Nina Sulovic-Cvetkovska, Project Leader.

For the Mayor of Jegunovce Municipality, Toni Kocevski, the new library will be an opportunity to reanimate the cultural and educational process in that region.

- The library will operate in function of the people. We are extremely happy, because it’s really rare nowadays to see opening or renovating a library, especially that is rare to see in the small and rural environment. Besides books, we will enable the people from the Municipality access to the world information through Internet, whereas in the hall there will also be a possibility for different tribunes and seminars which will be intended for the mutual cultural and social communication between the people from different ethnic communities who live in the Municipality – says Kocevski and adds that the name of the library will be decided soon on a special session with the Council in the Municipality. 

The library will be located in the village Preljubiste from the same Municipality. A contribution to the construction of the facility has also been made by the Municipal authorities, who have provided free location for the building and they will also lead the process for registration of the new library institution. The Municipality will also undertake the responsibility to hire people who will be trained to work in the library. The library fund will consist of books in Macedonian and Albanian which will be provided through a donation from UNDP, but will also be purchased with money from the Ministry of Culture and various associations and foundations in the country. By opening this library, UNDP will conclude the project with which besides renovation of the libraries in Radovis, Strumica and Kavadarci, also the city libraries in Kocani, Vinica and Cair Municipality in Skopje have been included and they have been donated new furniture. This project has also included the main libraries in Tetovo, Kumanovo and Gostivar and each one of them has received books in the amount of 2.000 US dollars.