To libraries with love. The Library-Information policy of Bulgaria 1989-2013. (A collections of papers, projects and articles)

Abstract

In Place of an Introduction – a Brief Confession and a Token of Gratitude Happiness is something very relative. It has different dimensions with respect to different people. And it has to do with different values. To the compiler of this collection, happiness is synonymous with three institutions that have given him a chance in this world. These are his family, “St. Kliment Ohridski” Sofi a University and libraries. It is our relatives and our profession that give a meaning to our life. Particularly when this profession has turned into a vocation and dedication that we convincingly and lovingly uphold throughout our life!!! I have really been lucky! For almost 35 years, I have had the chance to dedicate my life to libraries, working in the bosom of the magic and richness that they possess and share with us, their users. These 35 years have given me a lot by letting me get closer to the information and knowledge and making me able to understand their power. This is a feeling that you get in the course of time. It is also a somewhat odd phenomenon that makes you a free and responsible person. It gives you wings and makes your dreams of fl ying and satisfaction come true. And probably also our longing for having done our duty? Some people may claim that the title of this collection is a little illogical, incompatible, or even inappropriate for a scientifi c publication like this one. While others, that are immersed in the world of libraries, information and knowledge, may fi nd in it hope, faith, trust and confi dence. These are all important pillars, which can be relied on, so that we could go on walking in the global world of today that is often considered to be “uncertain”. What matters, however, is that this world is destined to serve knowledge and the knowledgeable ones. It is the libraries as traditional places for storing, processing and providing knowledge and information that have contributed to the success of our civilization. Regardless of the hard times that libraries have gone through, we can quite responsibly say that they have been the stronghold of culture, education, science,the economy and peoples’achievements. There are, however, a couple of more curious assessments of the role and the mission of libraries. Some of their admirers and supporters refer to them as being “the custodians of the DNA of humanity”. To all the people sharing such views, these wonderful depositories of the spiritual values are inextricably intertwined with the present and the future of the cultural layers which store the memory of humankind. And we should never forget this!!! The trust in, together with the respect for the library institution, has made the compiler of this publication trace out the road of development of the Bulgarian library community in 1989–2013. These have been years of hope [for the Bulgarian population] after the changes that occurred in 1989. They have also been years of serious diffi culties and deep disappointment. Against the background of the contradictory processesthat have often gone to the extreme, I have made an attempt to assess the condition of librarianship in Bulgaria. This collection incorporates selected texts of various types, including: – conference papers; – materials intended for national projects or programs; – scientifi c articles; – international projects; – theoretical works; – communications. The compiler’s idea is to provide a mirror-like picture of the developments in the Bulgarian library-information sector on the basis of the above texts; to outline the trends of development of this sector during this period; to present some theoretical works containing projections and different policies [that could be] implemented within the library-and-information spectrum. This publication is intended for [university] lecturers,students, researchers and experts who are interested in the problems of the Bulgarian library-information sector against the background of the changes that occur in some other parts of the world. A large majority of the texts have already been presented at international conferences and some other forums abroad. The texts have been prepared and published in different periods of time. Most of them have been incorporated into international publications. A large number of the texts contain similar ideas, facts and analyses. All this has been done with a view to assessing the evolution of the standpoints and changes and to getting a better idea of the authors’ texts, as well as of the ones [included in this publication]. The compiler of this collection does not claim to have exhausted all the topics contained therein. He has written himself some of the materials (which include documents, projects and programs) or has taken part in their preparation. He is the co-author of some documents that have been drawn up together with renowned professionals in different theoretical and applied fi elds. The author’s responsibility is indicated with respect to each and every document, but Prof. Alexander Dimchev has authored most of the documents incorporated into this collection. The names and positions are the ones used at the time of the documents’ publication. So, the compiler of this publication would like to thank most cordially to everybody who he has had the pleasure of working together during all these years. For their comradely correctness, friendship and professionalism. For their fi rm conviction that our common cause could be promoted even in diffi cult times. For their respect and collegiate empathy. For having contributed to the compilation of this collection by providing the ideas, texts and documents, which have made its publication possible. The present collection contains the original version of the individual texts (i.e. the way in which they were presented or published). Very few corrections have been made in some of the texts. All the documents are published in English. Only the text of the title-page and the introduction is published both in English and in Bulgarian. This collection is dedicated to the Bulgarian librarians who, during the years of the “Bulgarian transition period”, have managed to: – turn this noble and intellectual profession into their vocation; – ignore the diffi culties and the low remuneration, continuing to work actively to the benefi t of society and of individual people; – do everything within their powers, so that the library users could receive better services of a much higher quality; – preserve the dignity of our librarian community; – fi ght for the preservation and further development of Bulgarian librarianship and libraries in diffi cult times and in periods of crisis; – further promote the democratization of the access to information; – spare no effort in the process of library modernization and the introduction of modern technologies, given the serious shortage of resources; – generate novel ideas, common projects and initiatives; – introduce up-to-date research methods and educational programs; – spare no effort to further educate themselves to the benefi t of the library users and of the librarian profession; – place their trust in their occupational associations and help them without compensation; – actively participate in international forums and programs, representing Bulgaria successfully and with dignity; – work for the future!!! To our wonderful students and the young people that are coming after us. To all those who are going to put their hearts, as well as their spirit and intellect in the librarian profession. To all of them and to our libraries, with love!!! Prof. Dr. Alexander Dimchev, compiler of this collection