On 20 February this year, Lilia Bolocan, Director General of the State Agency on Intellectual Property (AGEPI) and Evan Tracz, Director of the Public Association, International Research & Exchanges Board “IREX”, Representative in the Republic of Moldova (AO IREX), signed a Memorandum of Understanding.

Memorandum signed between the two parties provides diversification and modernization of public library services and facilitation of applicants and civil society access to information tools and literature in the field of IP, particularly in the NOVATECA program.

AGEPI and AO IREX will join efforts to ensure access of Moldovan citizens to modern library services using new information technologies. Both certified librarians-trainers and AGEPI trainers shall cooperate with the view of  providing professional training to librarians and organizing IP information events in the libraries, and also diversifying the services provided and information sources used by librarians.

NOVATECA program, implemented by IREX Moldova with the support of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), aims to strengthen the institutional capacities of the Moldovan libraries, including through the modernization of used technologies and diversification of provided services.

NOVATECA program is part of the Global Libraries Initiative, which focuses on facilitating public access to information and communication technologies through the public library network in the country. In its framework 68 public libraries in the country have received assistance for endowment with modern technology and connection to the Internet network. Also, throughout the country were opened six Regional Training Centers that will train over 100 librarians in order to be able to use the new technological resources.

More details about the NOVATECA program can be found by accessing the link: http://www.novateca.md/ro/