About 900 Bashkir libraries will receive computers and internet access during this year

“Within the frames of the Strategy for development of informational society the Presidents of Russia and Bashkortostan gave the instructions on 100% computerization and internet access for all Russian libraries within the term up to July 1, 2012. We have to supply 880 municipal libraries with the computers and internet access in 2011” – the Minister of culture RB Oscar Abdrazakov said at the widened Collegium of the Ministry, held in Ufa Congress-Hall yesterday.

The libraries are still the most demanded social institute, the Minister said.

“In 2010 24 million visits to the libraries have been registered and by the number of libraries, readers and visits Bashkiria holds the first place in Russia”.

At the same time the share of the computerized libraries in the Republic is just 25%. The process of informatization develops thanks to establishment of the model libraries. In 2010 the number of such libraries reached 83. Other 60 similar libraries have to be opened in 2011. By the number of model libraries Bashkiria holds the third place in Russia after Chuvashia (the first place and all 500 rural libraries are the model ones) and Belgorod region (the second place – 116 such libraries).

But development of local libraries runs not as fast as one would like it to be: “The problems of our libraries remain the same: poor financing and, as a consequence, low rates of the library funds’ renewal and low level of informatization”.

A new normative document will be passed in 2011 because of the changes in the norms of the inter-budget transfers on the federal level.

“Those municipalities, where the model libraries are still absent, should actively join this project” – the Minister of culture RB said.