1. Public library “Radislav Nikcevic”
AgroLib Ja
The Project of
Public library “Radislav Nikcevic”
in Jagodina

2. Knowledge without borders
eIFL (Electronic information for libraries) is a nonprofit organization whose aim is to enable and improve the access to knowledge for the citizens of developing countries through libraries. Since it was established in 1999, eIFL.net has been offering series of programs and services in order to facilitate the access to knowledge which is essential for education and research, as well as for the social and economic development.

3. Knowledge without borders
Unique approach that eIFL.net applies is establishing the partnership with libraries organized through national library consortia (groups of libraries that share common goals); therefore it reaches millions of people effectively.
eIFL.net builds the capacities by means of organizing training and development of different models so knowledge can reach the final
It advocates for the access to knowledge on both national and international levels
Encourages the exchange of knowledge: direct communication with interested parties, showing successful examples from practice, organizing annual conferences for partners and encouraging regional cooperation between consortiums.
EIFL.net supports innovative projects for library services.

4. Knowledge without borders
Through a new program which started in EIFL.net aims to start innovative services in public libraries in order to enhance the life of people in their local communities.           eIFLnet started the Innovative program for public libraries Public Library Innovation Program (eIFL-PLIP) which encourages public libraries to reach their communities through pilot projects. After evaluating local needs, public libraries develop innovative services using technology so they can improve the life of people in their communities. This three-year grant program will help public libraries in developing countries become the centers of people lives in communities.

5. Knowledge without borders
Program for innovation of public and national libraries aims to encourage libraries to come closer to their communities, to cooperate with their local self-governments, business and other organizations in order to evaluate local needs and develop new services.
The program consists of three phases. In first round twelve programs were awarded with $30.000, which would be realized in a year’s time. In the secod round, the most successful programs from the first round will be repeated in other countries. In the third round, fifteen innovative programs will be awarded with $1.000 and they will be presented in the most significant world’s publications.

6. AgroLib Ja
NEW SERVICES IN VILLAGE LIBRARIES In 2008 the idea to revitalize the network of village libraries by introducing new information technologies, equipping the libraries with books which will be consistent with the interests of rural population (which is mainly engaged in agriculture) and introducing the contents that will help the population to improve their knowledge of agriculture, was presented to local self-government . It was agreed that in 2009 we start with the realization of the project. Unfortunately, global economic crisis started and contributed to withdrawal from the project.

7. AgroLib Ja
Impoverished villages came to the point where it is necessary to look for new forms of survival which would modernize residual agricultural production in order to improve social and economical status of rural population. Despite the bad situation in the country, there are successful farmers who implement innovations in agriculture. The problem is that there is no organized exchange of successful experiences among farmers. Also, most information on subsidized loans and other incentives for farmers are often publicized on websites of Serbian government or the ministry in charge. The information is often not clear to farmers, or it doesn’t reach them. In many villages, there is no the Internet access.
Through village libraries network, with trained librarians, the Internet access in libraries, computers and partners all these obstacles can be overcome..
With this concept we applied for a grant for innovative projects for public libraries.

8. AgroLib Ja MAIN PROJECT GOALS
Revitalization of the village libraries network in with in following villages: Glavnici, Glogovac, Bagrdan, Deonica and Bunar. Revitalization consists of reconstruction of the book funds, equipping with the computer technology and fast Internet connection. Librarians in village libraries will be actively involved in the realization of this project.
Trainings farmers to use of information technologies.
Educating farmers in cooperation with the Support network for rural development.
Building the web portal “AgroLib Ja” which will gather farmers from all over Serbia, agricultural associations, scientific institutions in the field of agriculture..

9. AgroLib Ja Professional articles about agriculture;
Bilingual Internet service (Serbian and English) - “AgroLib Ja” ( is daily updated and it publicizes:
Professional articles about agriculture;
Farmers’ experiences;
Agricultural products offers;
Information of the Ministry of agriculture;
Agricultural equipment offers;
Financial institutions offers;
Current vacancies of nongovernmental organizations for farmers;
Information about good practice of village tourism development .

10. AgroLib Ja
USERS
Users of this project are farmers from 52 villages that belong to the town of Jagodina.
The services will be available to farmers in village libraries in Deonica, Bunar,
Glogovac,Glavinci and Bagrdan. With the village libraries network the equal coverage of the entire territory will be achieved. Besides the users who live near Jagodina, farmers all around Serbia will use the Internet services of the website “AgroLib Ja”.

11. AgroLib Ja PROJECT PARTNERS
Local self-government of Jagodina will provide technical and administration support, as well as the adaptation of the village libraries if necessary.
Support network for rural development , the Ministry of agriculture’s organizations will help farmers to:
use better resources and subsidies of the Ministry of agriculture
learn how to plan, prepare and finance projects themselves for their villages
have better communication with local self-government and the Ministry
attend different trainings, round tables, specialized seminars and lectures
Encourage the local initiatives for the improvement of competitiveness and the quality of life.

12. AgroLib Ja
PROJECT PARTNERS
In cooperation with the citizens’ association “Etno forma” we will work on preservation of old crafts and home-made products, their promotion, presentation, searching for partners for the placement of these products.
The Agency for small and medium enterprises and registrated agricultural households will register rural households and give support to education of farmers.

13. AgroLib Ja PROJECT REALIZATION
The realization of the project is in progress. Some activities are completed; some are planned for the second part of the project.
Since it is an innovative program which hasn’t got the chance to be applied either in our or in other countries, we are obliged to report about the difficulties and obstacles wr had with this project.
We have recently sent the report, and we received praise for media promotion and our cooperation with local self-government. Namely, during their support to our project, the town of Jagodina painted the library buildings that are included in the project. However, they decided to make repairs, and to solve long-standing problems that we had in these buildings. Also, they suggested employing three more workers that volunteered in the libraries in Glavinci, Deonica and Bagrdan the process of systematization is in progress.

14. Thank you for your attention!
AgroLib Ja
The difficulties and evaluation of the project will be presented some other time.
Thank you for your attention!