Library Week in Kosovo

11.04.2017

National Library of Kosovo "Peter Bogdani", on Tuesday, opened the fifteenth edition of the Library Week with the theme "Copyright and Library" event that will be held during this week from 11 to 14 April.

Fifteenth Year of the Week marks the continuation of support to the Library Week by the American Embassy in Prishtina, the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport, the Rector of the University, and marks the continuation of a strong partnership between the National Library of Kosovo "Pjeter Bogdani" and the National Library of Albania.

This week's edition is also supported by the Municipality of Peja, Prizren, Ferizaj, in which also will be carried out activities during Library Week in Kosovo.

Special guest of the Library Week in Kosovo is Kyle K. Courtney, advisor for Copyright at Harvard University, whose arrival has been enabled by the US Embassy in Kosovo.

The opening ceremony of the Library Week in Kosovo was attended by Kosovo Prime Minister, Mr. Isa Mustafa, Ambassador of the United States, Mr. Greg Delawie, Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports, Mr. Kujtim Shala, Minister of Education, Science and Technology, Mr. Arsim Bajrami.

At the ceremony was also present the Director of the National Library of Albania, Ms. Persida Asllani, Advisor for International Cooperation of the National and University Library of Croatia, Jasenka Zajeca, Advisor for International Cooperation of the National and University Library of Croatia, Pamela Dawes, Project Director of Manchester assistance to Kosovo etc., professors, writers, publishers, librarians as well as representatives of culture and politics.

This week, the Library of Albania has brought to Kosovo the exhibition "Musine Kokalari, writing awareness and resistance," which was organized between the two national libraries - Albania and Kosovo, joint scientific conferences for the work of Musine Kokalari, in which they have referred scholars from both countries.

At the opening of the Week, director of the National Library of Kosovo, Mr. Fazli Gajraku said that the Week’ goal is not to collect library community itself - librarians, their advice, but a wide array of academic and public people, teachers, readers, government officials, policy makers and funders, with whom librarians should discover the profound value of trust in the library. And, furthermore, for a certain thought change and appreciating our work, for what we are seeking all the time, we are the ones that work in the library who should give the example.

He said that in our context, Library Week in Kosovo, not voluntarily, is crowding out relaxing creative activities as an invitation for book and libraries and those who use them - to be stuck in the creativity of academic nature, which coincides with the needs of libraries, to remedy and correct deviations that they may have.

On this occasion, Director Gajraku mentioned the topic of the Week, which is Copyright and Library, by saying without giving any side on the issue of how we behave - how are behaving libraries towards Copyright, we must start and end the debate , in order to acknowledge the fact of what belongs to libraries as a responsibility – fund of which boils from the affiliation of the authors of authorship, while the librarian is in the middle, not to bring presumptive way, but to understand the responsibilities for protection of intellectual property.

In his speech at the opening of this activity, the Kosovo Prime Minister, Mr. Isa Mustafa promised that the Government will continue to support the development of the Library, its projects, especially infrastructure and those of technology innovation. Mr. Mustafa said that libraries are the foundation of a healthy state, libraries give people the opportunity to experience new ideas, do research, collect and distribute wonderful impression of profitability during their use. Library reflects the diversity and character, needs and expectations of our people, researchers, professors, students, pupils. These needs and expectations are often vast and valuable. Library is the most comprehensive source of information search, information which is needed by people both in personal terms, as well as family and officials.

In the world, businesspeople use library resources to make wise decisions for the business development, use their employees to improve work skills, teachers to achieve high scientific results, students to strengthen academic knowledge.

Later, he said that the Government of Kosovo, directly or through its departments will continue to support the development of the National Library of Kosovo in particular and in general libraries, just as it is true, Ministry of Culture has supported many projects for the Library, for the book and culture in general, also the Ministry of Education and Ministry of Culture have begun to support the project for digitalization of the library, and thus have reflected the approach of this government which will do its utmost to support library projects especially those of infrastructure, and those of technology innovation.

The Ambassador of the United States, Mr. Greg Delawie, in his speech greeted the National Library of Kosovo, and all the librarians, writers, publishers and students for their work to promote reading and to help in research.

He stressed the importance of protection of intellectual property rights and copyright for the economic development of Kosovo.

Delawie expressed his concern about the presence of counterfeit goods in large stores in Kosovo and urged the Task Force and other stakeholders to be vigilant in this matter. Further, he said that now that Kosovo is expanding its economic ties with global, cultural and literary markets, it should be supported by all to enhance the implementation and monitoring of counterfeit goods and property rights.

The advent of the Copyright adviser at Harvard University, Mr. Kyle Courtney, Mr. Delawie sees as a direct way that librarians of Kosovo come to understand the role they have in creating an environment where protection of intellectual property rights is a priority.

Another issue that Ambassador Delawie mentioned during his speech was academic integrity, which he defined as "the essence of the academy." Then he spoke about plagiarism, urging Kosovo academic institutions to work more on this issue.

To the Embassy of the United States, the National Library of Kosovo Council "Pjeter Bogdani", has awarded the prize "Pjeter Bogdani" for the contribution made to the development of the Library.

Persida Asllani, director of the National Library of Albania, congratulated the opening of the Library Week, citing the institutional cooperation that Kosovo and Albania have. She explained in detail the exhibition "Musine Kokalari, writing and resistance awareness ".

National Library of Kosovo, on the opening day of the Library Week, has handed out gratitudes for: the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, Group "KOHA", the family of Esad Mekuli, Protestant Evangelical Church in Kosovo, Family of Shefki Ukaj, Mr. Ymer Bytyqi, students of Anthropology Department.

The first session of the lecture was started by Kyle K. Courtney, Advisor to the Copyright at Harvard University, who made a presentation on the role of libraries in the Protection of Intellectual Property Rights and Copyright.

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