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Précis

The legacy of SK-Libris is collaboration. Prior to work with SK-Libris many Slovak librarians worked in isolation. Perhaps Darina Krausova best said it:

"For the library community… solo parts are not the way… [SK-Libris] was a great motivation for cooperation that will be for sure reflected in our work and it is a kind of platform on which we can build our activities. This linkage creates a basis for cooperation, mutual contacts, sharing of information, simply, breaking borders in everything…"

This esprit de corps is certainly present in the formalized Bratislava and Nitra consortiums. However, it is also present among other librarians who participated in the project. Barriers were torn down by the project. It brought people together with a common interest and they began to talk to one another as colleagues and shared ideas, hopes, visions and concerns. Personal and professional friendships developed that further strengthened an esprit de corps that will be sustained through ongoing projects among Slovak librarians and libraries. Another example is the joint work of the library associations the establishment of the Week of Slovak Libraries, which they now plan to hold as an annual celebration. The associations also joined forces to lobby for changes in the Slovak Library laws.

Slovak librarians are well versed concerning the ethos and practices of library science and are technologically adroit. However, decades of working under socialism ill-afforded them experiences in the effective implementation of projects. Therefore, in some libraries considerable inertia stifles project implementation, creativity and risk-taking. We applaud the SK-Libris participants who had to balance work-place politics with their ideals and enthusiasm toward facilitating the free flow of information. This form of every-day bravery is admirable.

It is not easy being a librarian in Slovakia. The pay is low and respect from society is negligible. However, the nascent expressions of teamwork that emerged under the auspices of SK-Libris are encouraging. SK-Libris has helped build a sense of community among librarians that will serve them well as they take on challenges in which they face. which include:

Access to full-text, Web-based databases. While the EIFL project is in place, as is the JASON (German language databases), it is important that the library community form a united front to address this issue now. With just two years left on the Soros negotiated contract (EIFEL Direct), it is crucial that considerable inroads be made in all libraries to widely promote and use these resources.

The development of a continuing education / post-graduate professional development classes need to be developed to help keep the library professional current with their profession. Ideally, this program would include a certification program that would be tied to increased remuneration. Certification of library staff could be further tied to certification of libraries that meet minimum standards of service. Melánia Majeríkova notes that a "system of further education of librarians … is still missing in Slovakia." Developing such a system, using distance education methodology (video conferencing, WWW, etc.) would be a worthy cooperative project of the library associations, the ministries, Comenius University and the National Library.

The development of a combined directory of both library associations would further encourage cooperation among librarians and libraries. The directory would include information about libraries and librarians such as areas of expertise, collections and special projects. The directory should be web-based with hard copies also available.

The issue of brain drain has been discussed in the Slovak press and among Slovak librarians. Generally, there is a concern about young Slovaks leaving the country for opportunities abroad where economic life is less trying. In the library community, the brain drain is also within Slovakia, where many graduates of the university library science program find employment in the private sector where there technological prowess and language skills are in high demand and the pay is much better than in the state financed libraries. Thus, there is a concern that not enough young professionals are entering the profession, and those who do get a university library science degree don’t work in libraries upon graduation. This is one of the most difficult concerns to address because it is tied directly to the currently stagnant Slovak economy. Still, it is one that must be researched to determine the extent of the problem and to articulate some possible solutions.

Building and maintaining a versatile and universal means by which to share cataloging information is crucial for the Slovak library community. There simply is too much duplication of effort with each library often doing all of their own cataloging without sharing records. Now that the National Library is no longer under auspices of Matrica Slovenská, thus having control of its own budget, hope has been expressed that they will take a more visible and proactive stance on this important issue.

There are several signs of progress regarding the improvement of the free flow of information for Slovak citizens. These signs include access to full text databases via the WWW, new customer service attitudes about reference services, collaboration, successful lobbying and key library positions now being held by librarians. While this journey is still young in Slovakia, significant gains since the inception of SK-Libris are evident. The gains are due to hard work, good planning, collaboration and the changes brought about by the 1998 election. Libraries, in the main, are now better serving citizens.

In addition to leaving concrete and sustainable programs in place (e.g. Nitra Valley Library Consortium, WWW databases, Bratislava Consortium), SK-Libris has inspired our Slovak colleagues into action. There are now people quietly embracing the ethos of sustaining the free flow of information for Slovak citizens (e.g. the brochure marketing the service of the Slovak Academy of Sciences). The interviews with Slovak librarians indicate that sustainable changes have occurred in the way they think about citizen access to information. And now with the passage of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) yet another opportunity for the library community avails itself. As mentioned above, this is a tremendous opportunity for the library associations to take the lead on behalf of Slovak citizens. The library association would do well to find concrete ways to advocate for this new law. Possibilities include FOIA workshops at libraries as well as providing FOIA information at libraries as well as on their web sites. The funding to sponsor such a program is available from a grant from the Democracy Commission Small Grants Program out of the Public Affairs Section of the U.S. Embassy in Bratislava.

Furthermore, the associations should join the coalition of NGOs (non-governmental organizations) who support and advocate FOIA. This would be a timely opportunity to build coalitions with other NGOs with whom they share a common interest. In doing so they will yet again demonstrate how important libraries are in the building and sustaining of democratic values and practices.

Professional and personal relationships were developed between and among participants. Slovaks now have new colleagues in the states and in Slovakia, as is true for the American participants. Friendships, built on a shared vision for libraries are yet another sustainable aspect of this project.

The University of Northern Iowa continues its commitment to Slovakia and to library services there. UNI staff will remain involved with their Slovak partners and will maintain a rich dialog among these partners about libraries and the free flow of information. Further, UNI remains committed to enhancing these contacts and will seek support for future exchanges to build on the work already done to enhance library services and technology for all parties involved.

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