Evan Tracz, the Director of IREX Moldova/Novateca Program met with Pavel Filip, Minister of Information Technology and Communications on Thursday, July 4, 2013. The purpose of this meeting was to discuss the opportunities to strengthen the ongoing cooperation with the ministry earlier established through a Memorandum of Understanding signed by the parts. Furthermore, the meeting was also established to discuss the national grant proposal submitted for the extension of the Novateca program to a national scale, as well as future possibilities to enhance, through Novateca, the cooperation between Moldovan libraries and the ministry, in the framework of the Digital Moldova 2020 Strategy.

Novateca is part of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation’s Global Libraries initiative, which focuses on facilitating access to information and communication technologies through public libraries. It is a two-year learning grant implemented by IREX in cooperation with USAID, with the goal of obtaining an in-depth understanding of the opportunities for providing wide scale public access to information and communication technologies through the existing public library network. During its first year of activity the program has equipped with computers and internet 68 libraries in Soroca, Ungheni, Orhei, Leova, Ceadîr-Lunga, Căușeni, Drochia, Telenești, Călărași, Hîncești, Cahul and Taraclia. Over 250 librarians were offered trainings in IT & Computer management, as well as in New Library Service development, which will help them offer innovative services to their communities.

During the meeting the partners discussed the Novateca program’s progress and the successes achieved by the program in its first year of activity. Similarly, the parts acknowledged the importance of engaging libraries in the process of building a modern Information Society in the Republic of Moldova.

"The Novateca program contains many goals and activities that are perfectly in line with the Digital Moldova 2020 Strategy. Libraries promote e-governance tools, offer communication and Skype services, create online markets for selling local products, and train citizens in IT use. These and other library-led initiatives help advance Moldova’s development priorities and prove the relevance of the Moldovan library in reaching the objectives of this significant strategy," explained the Novateca program director, Evan Tracz.

Also, Evan Tracz discussed the extension of the program to a national scale, when every public library will have the possibility to apply for the program and receive investment and trainings to become a modernized community center that can help improve people’s lives. In this context, one of the program’s main priorities is to enhance the cooperation with line ministries, including the Ministry of Information Technology and Communications, this being fundamental for the development of public libraries in Moldova and the sustainability of library system modernization.

"The Novateca program is an opportunity to use the Internet to accomplish the goals of the Digital Moldova 2020 Strategy. You can count on our full support and involvement," pointed out Pavel Filip, the Minister of ICT. "MICT will concentrate all its efforts to become an active concept everywhere," added the minister.

By the end of 2013, participating Moldovan public libraries will be equipped more than 300 computers, as well as software and peripheral equipment, enabling libraries to offer a full range of IT services to community members. By the completion of the pilot phase, more than 350,000 Moldovans will have gained free public access to internet.