Romanian Libraries Research Articles

Plowing in Rocky Land: Organizational Culture, Managed Change, and Quality Improvement in Selected Romanian Post-Communist Libraries

Romanian libraries have had a rich heritage of collecting and preserving materials in the domains of national and foreign history, literature, art, and science. During the communist regime they served as propaganda tools for the government's Marxist ideology. In post-communist Romania, there is a desire among some librarians to promote change from a system of limited access to information to a more open system that focuses on quality improvement of library services, operations, and organization. In their efforts to overcome the communist legacy to libraries in their country, some Romanian librarians—with local resources and support from international agencies—are implementing western managerial styles and services. This case study reflects the results, assessments, and recommendations from a survey conducted at a workshop of selected Romanian librarians in August 1998. Considerations for the implementation of needed changes are also included.

Plowing in Rocky Land: Organizational Culture, Managed Change, and Quality Improvement in Selected Romanian Post-Communist Libraries

Romanian libraries have had a rich heritage of collecting and preserving materials in the domains of national and foreign history, literature, art, and science. During the communist regime they served as propaganda tools for the government's Marxist ideology. In post-communist Romania, there is a desire among some librarians to promote change from a system of limited access to information to a more open system that focuses on quality improvement of library services, operations, and organization. In their efforts to overcome the communist legacy to libraries in their country, some Romanian librarians—with local resources and support from international agencies—are implementing western managerial styles and services. This case study reflects the results, assessments, and recommendations from a survey conducted at a workshop of selected Romanian librarians in August 1998. Considerations for the implementation of needed changes are also included.

More about management in Romanian libraries

Discusses some of the management problems faced by Romanian libraries as they move through a period of adjustment.

State and prospects of the university libraries of Romania

The history of the university libraries of Romania correlates with the history of university structures to which they belong. During almost 50 years of totalitarianism, the Romanian libraries suffered a long period of international isolation and a continuous diminution of their collections from an informative point of view. The negative effects of this half century also exercised a bad influence over some other activities of the libraries (the quality of services and personnel, and on the other hand the quality of equipment and even the buildings), and finally decreased the level of their involvement in university life. Although the financial possibilities offered to libraries after the Revolution from December 1989 have grown considerably, no significant changes have been made from the structural point of view and no modernization policies have been established. To integrate the university libraries among the other goals of higher education, suggests that a proper strategy must be established, e.g. the promotion of a law for Romanian libraries; the adoption of a statute for Romanian librarians and documentalists; the setting up of a National Council of libraries; the planning of education to be closely correlated with the planning of libraries; the adoption of a national programme for the building of university libraries; the adoption of a national automation programme for the university libraries; the setting up of an evaluation system for university libraries.

Art libraries in Romania

Specialised art libraries emerged in Romania during the 19th century. Today, all of Romania’s art libraries are facing similar problems, the result of years of isolation from the international community and from one another, compounded by an absence (until recently) of education for librarianship, and by a continuing lack of money and adequate accomodation. In addition, different kinds of art library are confronted by problems specific to their functions. However, the renewal of contact with the wider world is bringing many benefits; work has started on a common automated system, initially involving a handful of art libraries; and three art libraries are trying to establish a Romanian art libraries society. (The text of a paper presented to the Annual Conference of ARLIS/NA at San Francisco, January 28th — February 3rd 1993. Please note that this report dates from over two years ago. We eagerly await further news.)

Another Future for the Romanian Libraries

For Romanian contemporary society, libraries are its heritage and the future. The arguments are historical – no one can live without history: contemporary – present dimensions of our life are linked to the quantity and quality of knowledge; and prospective – to speak of the future means to discuss the fundamental potential of Romanian society, including the libraries′ treasures. Argues that to ensure the future development of Romanian libraries it is necessary to: publish a white paper on Romanian libraries; promote and adopt legislation for Romanian libraries; elaborate and adopt a statute for librarians; construct and put into action a staged national programme for the building of libraries; project a staged automation for the national library system; and help the professional organizations of librarians.