Organization: Jurgis Bielinis Public Library of Biržai District Municipality

Biržai distric Jurgis Bielinis public library collects, organizes, preserves and disseminates information. The main objective of the library is to become the innovate and modern culture institution raising lifelong learning and a comfortable space for self-expression for the various social groups.
Library users are children (4-16), youth (16-18) and adults, of which a significant are seniors. The structure of the library consists of the following divisions: Administration, Accounting, Readers Service Department, the Department of Information with reading room (contains computers too), Document department and Child Service Department. It consists of 29 workers. There are also 26 village libraries, which work as separated branches but are ruled by the same administration.
Library works not only at information field. It organizes cultural events such as meetings with writers, books presentation and so on. It also takes part in cultural project activity.

Project: Learning of Baltic languages and cultures

Preliminary goal of the project is to promote and disseminate the idea of lifelong learning through learning the languages and culture of neighbouring countries, strengthening Baltic identity and promotion of respect to other cultures.
The duration of the project is 24 months. Project location – Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Poland.

Preliminary project activities for 2020-2021:
1. To teach and study Lithuanian, Latvian, Estonian and Polish languages at the libraries of Biržai, the partner city in Latvia, Estonia and Poland.
Training is run for adult and children groups in three languages (with the exception of their native) at the elementary level in each of 4 libraries. Language courses are conducted either by a person living in that country and speaking Latvian, Estonian, Lithuanian or Polish or by a speaker specially trained in the course of the project. The length of language courses – 2 months for each language, classes last 1,5 hours, and it is organized 3 times per week. Thus, language courses in one library last for 6 months (2 courses for three languages).
2. There are organized camps for participants of all four language courses in one of the country (or in all four). The aim of the camp of cognitive in both cultural and human terms. The campsite lasts up to 7 days.
3. Meetings with Baltic writers are held in parallel with language courses in libraries. It is planned to hold 3 meetings with writers in each country, for example, in Biržai there is organized meetings with Latvian, Estonian and Polish writers.
4. Cinema sessions of the Baltic cinema are taking place in the libraries It is planned to host 3 movie screenings in each country, for example, Estonian, Lithuanian and Polish movie films are shown in Latvian library.
5. Librarians from Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia and Poland carry out an exchange program. 4 employees from each library go to the partner’s library for one week long courses for upgrading qualification.

Contact: Indra Drevinskaitė – Žilinskienė (indra.zilinskiene@3erdve.lt)
T: +370 671 75473, W: https://www.birzai.rvb.lt