1. Volunteer Based Good Practices and
Innovative Services in the
Library at

2. Cherni Osam Village
“Huddling in the Balkan and hidden from the eyes,
blossoming pretty, there’s a place of freedom and thrive.
Its people are good mountaineers
living with tireless labor, sadness and cheers...”

3. C h i ta l i s hte A c t i v i t i e s
in Cherni Osam
Established in 1906 when a group of public figures created a
written statement on the establishment of an independent
chitalishte which would
“Create conditions for the intellectual and moral development
of villagers”
The chitalishte maintains a comparatively big number of
members and participates actively in public development.
Every year it takes part in various projects and thus it fills
material and inventory gaps.
Last but not least, our Board of Trustees has undertaken the
ambitious task of
...preserving the healthy Balkan spirit of our village...

4. C H I TA L I S H T E A C T I V I T I E S I N C H E R N I O S A M
 The chitalishte library was established in 1906, right after Znanie Chitalishte
was founded. Books were purchased and placed in the library bookcase
especially designed for the purpose. Today, the library is hosted by the new
chitalishte building in a premise of 52 sq.m.
 Through the years, Znanie 1906 Public Chitalishte has never kept away from
new technology. In 2004, the library got its first computer. It has had internet
access since 2006. In 2008, the library purchased AB software and launched
electronic cataloguing of its stock, processing of all newly acquired books and
retroconversion of the entire library stock. In 2007 – 2008, the library renewed
its stock through projects implemented under the program “Bulgarian
Libraries: Places for Reading and Information” of the Ministry of Culture
which improved service provision to patrons and attracted new library users.


5. C H I TA L I S H T E A C T I V I T I E S I N C H E R N I O S A M
 In 2008, the Glob@l Libraries – Bulgaria Program was launched. We were
among the libraries approved at the first stage and thus the library already has
three computer configurations, a multimedia projector, a screen and a
multifunctional device. A laptop was purchased under a project. A new LAN
network was developed. Today, our library is an information and internet
center.
 Following the renovation and expanded library and information
opportunities, the number of library visits has grown significantly. In addition
to all the equipment, an additional librarian staff position was also provided
under the program.

6. V O L U N T E E R I N I T I AT I V E S
In addition to traditional book lending, the library develops numerous volunteer
activities. The most significant examples over the recent years include:
 Meeting with the writer Donka Petrunova and the poetesses Tsvetana Kacherilska
and Lina Bordzhieva
With the help of volunteers in 2009 the library organized and conducted a national
poetry contest and in 2010 – 2011, the festival of amateur mountain movies “Under
Ambaritsa Skies”.
 The library hosts study trips organized jointly with Vasil Levski Secondary
School, individual sessions with library visitors, and has processed hundreds of
library bibliographic requests.

7. Activity 1.1 – Youth Exchange
Project: BG11/A1.1/486/R4
“The Mountain: a Good Place for
Knowing Each Other”

8. Main Project Objectives:
Bring together 23 participants from Spain, Turkey and Bulgaria
Provide a good environment for interpersonal and intercultural exchange
Improve the dialogue and participants’ attitude toward different nations’ traditions
and characteristics
Provide an opportunity for informal education and discussion of topics of
significance for regional development
 Implement activities of public significance, thereby increasing the project’s positive
attitude
Synthesize “green” entrepreneurship ideas, good practices and attitude among local
people
Enhance young people’s involvement in volunteer activities and their interest in
participating in other similar initiatives.

9. Project Participants
The project was implemented in the village of Cherni Osam in the period 13 – 21
April and organized on a voluntary basis by the project manager and participants.
It would not have been implemented without the good facilities and equipment
provided by the library.

10. Voluntary activities achieved as follows:
Paths and marking to the nearby
Zelenikovo Monastery and Pleven chalet
cleaned and freshened
Fir trees planted in the garden in front
of the Museum of Natural History
Good practices for facilitation of the
entrepreneurial development of the
region synthesized

11. For further information and cooperation:
Znanie 1906 Public Chitalishte
Cherni Osam
83 Stara Planina St.
PO Box: 5620,
00359 879 076 726
c h i t a l i s h t e _ z n a n i e @ a b v. b g
w w w. z n a n i e . y o l a s i t e . c o m

12. Thank you for your
attention!