1. » LIBRARY DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM IN POLAND
Joint venture of the Bill & Melinda Gates
Foundation and Polish-American
Freedom Foundation
Implemented by the Information Society
Development Foundation (FRSI)
2009-2013
$28 million
3,327 public libraries from rural areas
and small towns (c. 50% of the
eligible group)

2. » POLAND
Out of over 38,400,000 population
60% live in communes of less than 50,000
inhabitants (including 38% in villages)
Disparities („Poland of two speeds”): in e.g.
access to education, culture, and also in
the Internet usage: c. 50% rural areas
vs. c. 75% large cities
Libraries: extensive network, public
trust, librarians working with passion

3. 1st round: 1,873 libraries
(610 communes)
2nd round: 1,454 libraries
(497 communes)
3,327 libraries in 1,107 communes
across Poland

4. » THE PROGRAM’S VISION OF SUCCESS
Within 5 years public libraries
participating in the Program
will have (re)gained power
to support the development
of individual citizens and
entire communities

5. » THE PROGRAM’S OBJECTIVES
THE KNOWLEDGE AND INFORMATION NEEDS
1 OF LOCAL COMMUNITIES ARE BETTER
ADDRESSED BY LIBRIARIES.
INHABITANTS HAVE BETTER ACCESS TO
2 ICT-SUPPORTED NEW SERVICES PROVIDED
BY LIBRARIES.
USERS, PUBLIC OPINION AND POLICY MAKERES
3 PERCEIVE LIBRARIES AND LIBRARIANS AS MORE
IMPORTANT FOR INDIVIDUAL, COMMUNITY AND
COUNTRY DEVELOPMENT.

6. Practical
training courses
In total: c. 6,000 participants
Library Development
Planning Workshop
(10 days)
Specialist courses
(3 days)
IT training courses
(5 days)

7. Technological
support
2,769 computers
2,145 all-in-one printers
557 printers A3
281 laptops
281 projectors with screens
3,310 digital cameras
In total: c. 9,000 pieces of hardware

8. Many other activities, e.g.
Small grant programs and support for
c. 880 projects (new library functions)
Networking and best practices sharing
between libraries
Support for library system institutions, e.g. the
National Library, 18 provincial libraries (provincial
coordinators, courses for training units’ employees),
Polish Librarians’ Association (development strategy
Outreach campaigns, e.g. „Get Online Week”
(c. 15,000 persons), „Library – A Place For
Safer Internet” (c. 5,000 young people trained)

9. » IMPACT
Libraries undertake People visit libraries more For almost 30% of
new activities (beyond often, benefit in various computer users library
book- areas, e.g. is the only place where
related), becoming the education, culture, social they have access to
„third place” (meeting integration, civic ICT (c. 200,000).
place) serving c. 2,6 participation, life-long
learning, everyday life, Almost 40% first-
million users & c. 10
job searching - c. 100,000 clickers (c. 250,000).
million inhabitants –
Program only. users.

10. » LIBRARY DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM AND FRSI
RECOGNIZED BY THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION
e-Inclusion Award
„Be Part of IT!” 2012
for good practices in
using ICT and digital
technology to tackle
social and digital
exclusion across Europe

11. » PARTNER INSTITUTIONS

12. Free Internet access for all public libraries
in Poland (c. 3,500 have taken benefit so far)

13. » PARTNERSHIPS FOR LIBRARY DEVELOPMENT
c. 100 people - representatives of central
NATIONAL government, librarian community, key
PARTNERSHIP NGOs, national associations of local
FOR LIBRARY governments, opinion leaders
DEVELOPMENT (writers, filmmakers, scientists, journalists, heads
of business organizations)
PROVINCIAL
representatives of the governor, chairman of the
PARTNERSHIPS
province board, head of the provincial library
FOR LIBRARY 16 partnerships signed
DEVELOPMENT
more than 160 partnerships (formal and non-
LOCAL formal) engaging e.g. representatives of local
PARTNERSHIPS authorities, schools, media, local leaders and
NGOs, entrepreneurs etc.

14. » LOCAL PARTNERSHIPS. GOING BEYOND.
» strengthen libraries’ potential to serve local
communities (beyond resources)
» strengthen position of libraries among other local
institutions / organizations and support advocacy
efforts (beyond milieus)
» promote culture of cooperation (beyond mindset)

15. » LOCAL PARTNERSHIPS. SUPPORT WITHIN THE
LIBRARY DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM.
» idea and skills developed within
the library development planning
workshops (e.g. values, principles,
rules of cooperation, benefits)
» consultancy on the spot: trainers assist libraries to
organize first meetings with partners (partnership
rules and objectives set-up,
identification of potential joint
ventures based on community
needs assessment)
» partnerships as part of the
rules/criteria of e.g. grant
programs

16. » LOCAL PARTNERSHIPS.
CHALLENGES, ISSUES, QUESTIONS…
» (not enough) facilitation/communication skills
» (not enough) good ideas for ventures
» ideas developing into something new (else)
» more partners, more opportunities (?)
» target group involvement (?)
» business = money (?)
» being determined/concrete and open for others’
ideas (?)
» one-activity partnership vs. project partnership vs.
strategic partnership

17. License Some rights reserved by Alaskan Dude

18. Thank you
rafal.kramza@frsi.org.pl
ul. Grójecka 1/3
02-019 Warszawa
tel.: 022 579 15 09
www.frsi.org.pl