Cross-border cooperation between Oulu, Kajaani, Kondopoga and Novgorod libraries Barents Library Conference August at Rovaniemi Leena Marja Tikkanen Kajaani City Library – Kainuu Regional Library

Kondopoga

Co-operation 2006 Kajaani culture Forum Finland suggested co-operation with Russian libraries based on the previous co-operation between Kainuu and Kostamus, Petroskoi, Kalevala The aim of the co-operation is cultural exchange, professional knowledge acquisition and sharing best practices Finnish librarians visited Veliky Novgorod Librarians from Oulu, Kajaani and Mikkeli and a representant from the provincial government of Oulu participated ( ELY-keskus : Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment ) 2009 Librarians from Kondopoga and Novgorod visited Kajaani and Oulu “Library services for Children and Youth in Russia and Finland”

2010 Finnish Librarians visited Kondopoga  Visits to Kondopoga main library, children’s library and Jänispelto library.  Excursions, e.g. to OAO Kondopoga – cellulose and paper production company  Professional Seminar Russian subjects at the seminar: Kondopoga regional library  Kondopoga and 8 municipality libraries and 15 school libraries  Staff: all together 49, in Kondopoga 26  Kondopoga library arranges education to the staff  Supports public libraries within its region

More Russian subjects… Financing of library  Library funding is not good  Financing must be collected from multiple sources and projects  Mobile library, computers, visits, education, better services Kondopoga Mobile Library  Mobile library in 2008  A new type of car in Russia  11 routes, 43 mobile library stops, additional stops at working places and schools  Mobile library is also a cultural bus, it takes actors and artists to the villages Regional collection – B.E.Kravitsenko-collection in Kondopoga

Finnish subjects at the seminar:  Mobile libraries, acquisition and financing in Finland  National online users’ investigation in Finland  Regional libraries and their functions in Finland –Oulu Regional Library as an example

2011 Kondopoga Librarians visited Kajaani  Introduction to Kajaani Integrated Library System  Databases and online services  Kajaani Library Functions – Children’s department – Co-operation between school and library  Presentation of the organization ”UN Women in Finland” UN Women stands for the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women  Excursion to Oulu –Visit to the National Library Conference –Visits to the new branch libraries in Ritaharju and Rajakylä

Summary  Positive: new acquaintances, new experiences, new ideas  Difficulties: language problems and long distances Finnish libraries  have better financial resources than Russian libraries  larger collections, spacious, pleasant libraries, cosy childen’s departments  Information technology, databases, electronic books and library systems

Summary Libraries in Russia have more cultural and educational tasks obtain financing in multiple sources and projects have co-operation with several organizations social library work – women’s organizations, multi- cultural library librarians are very enthusiastic good knowledge of books and customers, librarians make book lists and recommendations

Plans for the future  Projects between school and library  Training of staff on the web?  Exchange of literature, information shelves “ Finnish corner”  Why not a Barents library week?  Social library work and multicultural library  Common electronic publications?  Social Media - Facebook?

Novgorod 2007 Photos: Paula Alaraasakka

Kondopoga 2010

Kajaani 2011 Tatyana Orgina, Nadezda Tsykareva, Tatyana Nosyreva

References  Marju Pulkkinen : Report on the seminar in the Republic of Karelia, June 2010  Erkki Romppainen: Report on the co-operation between Kainuu and Karelia, 2010  Letters from and diskussions with Nadezda Tsykareva, Tatyana Nosyreva and Tatyana Orgina  Photos : Paula Alaraasakka, Kondopoga delegation, Koti- Kajaani The Kondopoga delegation:  Marju Pulkkinen, Kuhmo  Pirkko Lindberg, Oulu  Merja Kummala-Mustonen, Oulu  Aini Autio Ii  Erkki Romppainen, Kajaani