public library - varna (pencho slaveykov regional library)

Pencho Slaveykov Public Library in Varna was founded in 1883. It is a public institution supported by the Municipality and the Government. The library has been depository of the Bulgarian national literature since 1945. It is a regional library and centre for consulting other libraries in the North-East part of the country. Latest statistic have shown that library collections number over 870 000 volumes of books, periodicals and other materials. 30% of our users are under 18 years old. Library collects and offers books and periodicals, manuscripts and archival documents, albums, cartographic publications, official documents, standards, written music, records, audio and video cassettes, CDs and DVDs. In Regional History Dept. there is a unique and full collection of periodicals printed in Varna after 1880. The Library started a process of digitization of its rare and unique collections of periodicals, post-cards, photos, maps etc several years ago. Pencho Slaveykov Public Library developed the Varna Digital Library repository which provides access to librarys and its partner-museums digitised materials. The Library is a member of the Bulgarian Library Association and a partner in a number of European non-governmental cultural programs and international projects. The Library is situated in a city of 400,000 inhabitants, with regional responsibilities in an area of significant change. An increase in the number of adults with only a lower-level education highlights the risks of social exclusion and lost local traditions and is of deep concern for the library. Training activities for adults include cooperation with community groups serving seniors, maintaining collections and services of special interest to adults and workshops/one-to-one training on how to use new technologies. The last few years Public Library - Varna uses a METHOD OF ACTIVE-LEARNING for adults' trainings.