The EU Delegation to Serbia will grant National Library of Serbia (NBS) with five printed copies and one digital copy of each of the new books or brochures produced as part of the Delegation’s information and communication activities, so as to provide citizens with accurate and timely information regarding the European integration process. Funding permitting, the Delegation will grant the National Library of Serbia additional copies of publications that it will distribute to the libraries throughout Serbia.
Head of the EU Delegation to Serbia Michael Davenport, Serbian Minister of Culture and Information Ivan Tasovac and Acting Director of NBS Svetlana Jančić have signed the Memorandum of Understanding, according to which the National Library would be provided with EU publications.
“Given that libraries are key sources of quality information in Serbia, this form of cooperation is extremely important to all citizens to whom our publications would be available after the signature of this Memorandum,” Davenport said upon the signing.
According to him, the Delegation will also encourage other EU Member States’ embassies to donate relevant books and publications directly to libraries or via the National Library of Serbia.
“This is the best way to learn about functioning of the EU, relations among the Member States, about what is ahead of Serbia on its EU path, as well as the means of cooperation within the field of culture,” Svetlana Jančić said.
“Quality learning and citizens who are well-informed on the EU are highly important to Serbian EU integration process. When the time comes, citizens will be those who will decide through a referendum whether they want to join the EU or not. This is why establishing communication with them is one of Delegation and EU Member States embassies’ major goals,” Davenport said.
Signatories have committed themselves to encouraging libraries across Serbia to provide their facilities with separate and clearly labelled “Serbia in the EU” shelves, making the relevant publications from various sources, written both in Serbian and foreign languages, easily accessible to users.
Within its digital library, National Library of Serbia will create a separate section “Serbia and the EU”, publicly available and regularly updated each time a new publication is issued.
