Archives
Russian
librarians, government officials visit counterparts in Illinois
Andrea
Lynn, Humanities Editor
(217) 333-2177; a-lynn@illinois.edu
5/15/2001
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Library directors and regional
government officials from across Russia currently are meeting with their
U.S. counterparts in several Illinois towns and cities. The group’s
two-week immersion in U.S. library and local government management,
which began May 11, is a first step in a major Russian-American effort
to begin expanding Russia’s book-oriented public libraries into
active information centers.
"Since the end of the Soviet era a decade ago, libraries in Russia
have been facing the enormous challenge of transforming themselves from
institutions promoting state ideology to institutions operating in an
open civil society," said Marianna Tax Choldin, the director of
the University of Illinois Mortenson Center for International Library
Programs, one of the sponsors of the effort, known as the Small Towns
Libraries Project.
Spearheading the innovative project, in addition to the Mortenson Center,
are the Rudomino School at the Library for Foreign Literature in Moscow
and the Illinois State Library in Springfield. Funding for the Russian
Small Towns Project comes from the Open Society Institute – Russia
(the Soros Foundation), the Illinois State Library and the Mortenson
Center.
During the visit, which ends May 24, the 10 library directors and officials
responsible for culture from five regions in Russia are meeting not
only with area librarians but also with officials in a wide range of
governmental and non-governmental institutions.
Since their arrival, the Russians have traveled to the Amish community
in Arthur and Arcola to learn about providing library and community
services to a religious minority, and they visited the Forsyth Public
Library and the Archer Daniels Midland Co.
The group will spend three days in Springfield (May 14-17), learning
about trends in libraries, archives and museums. At the Illinois State
Library, the visitors will learn about library services and state government.
The Springfield program includes tours of historical sites and a reception
with several state and local government officials.
In Champaign on May 21, the Russian contingent will tour the UI Mortenson
Center, and meet with Mayor Gerald Schweighart of Champaign and with
Steve Carter, the Champaign city manager. They also will tour the TIMES
Center in Champaign, a men’s shelter, with Joyce Schmidt, the TIMES
administrator.
On May 22, the Russians will visit Sinai Temple, the Crisis Nursery
and the Douglass Branch of the Champaign Public Library. Later that
day, they will meet with George Scheetz, the director of the Champaign
Public Library, to discuss local support of libraries, and with Richard
Schnuer, the finance director of the city of Champaign.
Short trips to St. Louis and to Chicago also are scheduled. In Chicago,
the group will visit the Chicago Public Library and later meet with
Don Wycliff, public editor of the Chicago Tribune.
The Mortenson Center was established as part of the UI Library in 1991
to strengthen ties among librarians worldwide. To date, more than 500
librarians from 75 countries have visited the center, which is the only
one of its kind in the world. The Mortenson Center Web site is www.library.uiuc.edu/mortenson.
For more information about the Russian Small Towns Project, contact
Cindy Ashwill, associate director of development and public affairs
at the UI Library, at (217) 333-5682 or cashwill@illinois.edu.
