An overview of the library scene in post-communist Romania (2005-2010) based on data from the Romanian Statistical Yearbook.

1. Hermina G.B. Anghelescu, PhD
School of Library & Information Science
Wayne State University
Detroit, Michigan, USA
ag7662@wayne.edu

2.  The Library System in Romania
 National Libraries
 The National Library of Romania
 The Library of the Romanian Academy
 The National Pedagogical Library
 The National Military Library
 Academic Libraries
 School Libraries
 Special Libraries
 Public Libraries
 [Alarming] Statistical Data
 based on the Romanian Statistical Yearbook
 Conclusion

3. Type of Library & Year Libraries
Volumes
(thousands)
Registered Users
(thousands)
Volumes Checked Out
(thousands)
National Libraries 2005 4 20,601 43 867
National Libraries 2010 4 21,053 46 665
National Libraries % of Change 0.0% 2.2% 7.0% -23.3%
Academic Libraries 2005 106 24,582 614 12,418
Academic Libraries 2010 100 24,913 559 9,098
Academic Libraries % of Change -5.7% 1.3% -9.0% -26.7%
Special Libaries 2005 846 16,313 163 1,403
Special Libraries 2010 589 10,334 88 1,743
Special Libraries % of Change -30.4% -36.7% -46.0% 24.2%
School Libraries 2005 8,585 63,174 2,276 23,628
School Libraries 2010 8,300 67,448 2,108 22,524
School Libraries % of Change -3.3% 6.8% -7.4% -4.7%
Public Libraries 2005 2,914 49,710 1,881 32,409
Public Libraries 2010 2,836 49,681 1,632 24,294
Public Libraries % of Change -2.7% -0.1% -13.2% -25.0%
Total of All Libraries 2005 12,455 174,380 4,977 70,725
Total of All Libraries 2010 11,829 173,429 4,433 58,324
Total of All Libraries % of Change -5.0% -0.5% -10.9% -17.5%

4. Universities Students Faculty Libraries Library users
2005 107 716,464 31,430 106 614,000
2010 108 673,001 29,746 100 559,000
% of Change 0.9% -6.1% -5.4% -5.7% -9.0%
0.9%
-6.1%
-5.4%
-5.7%
-9.0%
-10.0%
-8.0%
-6.0%
-4.0%
-2.0%
0.0%
2.0%
-
100,000
200,000
300,000
400,000
500,000
600,000
700,000
800,000
% of Change in Higher Education Between 2005 and 2010 (Fig. 1)

5. 0.0%
2.2%
7.0%
-23.3%
-5.7%
1.3%
-9.0%
-26.7%
-30.4%
-36.7%
-46.0%
24.2%
-3.3%
6.8%
-7.4%
-4.7%
-2.7%
-0.1%
-13.2%
-25.0%
-5.0%
-0.5%
-10.9%
-17.5%
-50.0%
-40.0%
-30.0%
-20.0%
-10.0%
0.0%
10.0%
20.0%
30.0%
Libraries Volumes Registered Users Volumes Checked Out
% of Change of Library Statistics Between 2005 and 2010 (Fig. 2)
National Libraries
Academic Libraries
Special Libraries
School Libraries
Public Libraries
Total of All Libraries

6.  [+] Some Progress: Modernization process on multiple
fronts:
 New locales purposefully built to serve as libraries
 Opening of collections
 Librarians participating in continuing education
programs
 Biblionet, funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates
Foundation, 28 million USD; 2,000/2,836 public
libraries equipped + 1,000/4,500 public librarians
trained

7.  [-] Room for Improvement:
 More responsibility and involvement from the funding agencies/overseeing bodies
 Librarians, Information specialists & Library Leaders need to become more responsive to
join efforts in order to:
 Reach common ground towards creating a national shared online catalog
 Coordinate at the national scale disparate digitization efforts that occur locally
 Develop databases with local content
 The Key: C3
=Communication; Collaboration; Coordination
 Library infrastructure
 Librarians’ training and their exposure to practices in the West
 Librarians’ change of attitude towards their constituencies
 Professional commitment and leadership corroborated with substantial financial support
from
 Library associations to join forces & speak with one voice towards common goals
 Library and Information Science education at western standards
 Coherent national program to support & promote library development
 National library development strategy (short and long term)
 Rethinking the library’s mission in Romania’s society (shift from repository “biblioteca
templul cartii” to an active information center focused on providing customer-oriented
services and on promoting the principles of Information Literacy)

8. Hermina G.B. Anghelescu
School of Library & Information Science
Wayne State University
Detroit, Michigan
Email: ag7662@wayne.edu