Getting to know the experience of Lithuanian colleagues in Ignalina Publicēts: 6.11.2023
Getting to know the experience of Lithuanian colleagues in Ignalina
Inese Kalēja,
Gulbene county library
From October 22 to 27, as part of the Nordplus project "Non-formal education in library - opportunity for everybody", the librarian-expert of the Gulbene county library Inese Kalėja and the head of the "Druvienas parish library" unit of the Gulbene county library Daiga Apsīte visited the Ignalina public library in Lithuania.
In accordance with the goals and tasks of the project, we got to know the experience of Lithuanian librarians in the field of non-formal education for people of different ages.
In the Ignalina public library, we got an insight into what classes, activities and events are organized and offered to local residents. A club for seniors, a literary club are active under the auspices of the library, lessons are offered in connection with acquiring and improving digital skills, safe internet use, the opportunity to meet with local creative personalities - artists, photographers, writers, etc. is provided. Residents are also actively involved in "filling up" the Facebook account created by the library for all Ignalinians, by sending both old and modern photos for posting, thus learning about the cultural history of the region together.
Seniors are offered the opportunity to use audiobooks - technically, this means that the librarian gives the senior a small device that can play and listen to recordings of specific books. This service is available throughout Lithuania, even with a doctor's certificate.
The library also conducts active project work, giving local residents the opportunity to learn and learn something new, for example, to get to know the history and architecture of the churches and manors of the neighborhood, informative hikes, creative workshops and meetings with specialists in various fields are held.
Children are offered the opportunity to get to know the new books with the help of a puppet theater - since 1995, the library employees have been staging book reviews, small parties for young and old. On the library's YouTube or Facebook account, video materials created by the library can also be viewed - an evening's story, examples of creative activities, book reviews.
We also visited branches of the Ignalina library in small settlements in Ceikinai and Palūše, where local research work is active. Librarians cooperate with the local church, cultural center, and parish administration, organizing events and writing projects. Exhibitions were created about the residents, history, traditions, using the collected materials, a book about the history of the Paluše neighborhood was published.
We were present at the closing event of the Erasmus + project "EU-READ&ART" at the Ignalina public library. The first digital library was created as part of the project - combining book reading with digital skills. A platform has been created where you can watch the "book trailers" created by the 7 project partner countries.
We also visited the Ignalina county museum, where we got to know the traditions, culture and history of the local area from ancient times to the present - lifestyle and customs, as well as occupations specific to this area, for example, a special type of fishing.
The experience gained will be useful in our future work, organizing educational activities and lessons for adults and children, as well as encouraging residents not to be afraid to come to us with their ideas and suggestions.
