National Libraries in Eastern Europe – A Period of Transition

Abstract

The present economic situation is a poor starting point for the national libraries of Eastern Europe in their efforts to cope with the future. Political censorship is replaced with economic censorship: insufficient budgets, inadequate space for books and readers, gaps in distribution systems, and increasing transport and postal rates. But libraries are an essential element in the intellectual infrastracture and cultural dialogue; and national libraries in Eastern Europe see cooperation with similar libraries in the West as a major way of achieving development. Several countries have agreed to exchange specialists, training and education programmes already exist, and lack of acquisition funds has been somewhat mitigated by book donation programmes; but more needs to be done. The European Union is an appropriate mechanism for developing an East-West programme to improve the infrastructure through the implementation of technological policy. East-West dialogue can best be structured through the Council of Europe, which has recently expanded its membership to include Eastern and Central Europe.