Preconference: 16th. Annual International Conference of Parliamentary Librarians, Athens, Greece, August 9, 2000

Preconference: 16th Annual International Conference of Parliamentary Librarians, Athens, Greece, August 9, 2000 Basic Factual Information About Chamber Of Deputies Library Of Romania by Ioana Borocan Librarian Introduction The library services everywhere are facing identical challenges, such as how to respond to budgetary and staff cutback, how to mentain or develop flexible management structures, how to develop more products for their clients. In any parliamentary system the key to an effective legislature is the knowledge and information, and the library is the main source for parliament in support of its constitutional functions. Our modern society has two fundamental needs: exchange of information and recording information for availability, and timely access. As parliamentary librarians we have common professional standards, and common aims: to support MPs in their needs of information; the specific ways to fulfil this mission varies from country to country. The differences between our parliaments are in our national history of democracy.. (The Parliament of Romania, as most Parliaments in Central and Eastern Europe is a young structure; it has bicameral structure, the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate. The Deputies and Senators are elected by universal, equal, direct, secret and freely expressed vote for 4 years mandate.) IT Policy in Chamber of Deputies It is difficult for my to present the library activities without IT infrastructure of Chamber, because the IT policy of the library is part of IT policy of Chamber. Chamber IT Policy Objectives Are: developing the network infrastructure inside the Palace of Parliament; developing the software applications under the commitment of the Intranet and Internet approaches; training the users: MPs, parliamentary staff, other employees to work in environment of this new information networks; All software applications provided on the Chamber web site are available from a starting point, the home page: http://www.cdep.ro The main provided applications are: Legislative process (bill tracking system, plenum debates application-since April 1996-, full text questions and interpellations addressed to Government); Information about Standing Bureau, parliamentary members, political groups, parliamentary political parties, constituencies; Daily events in Chamber; Committee reports application; Legislative database application- full text; Biographical details for past and present MPs (starting 1992); National medium term economic strategy for integration in the European Union-full text Intranet It is a LAN based communication system created to enhance inside Chamber communications using the Internet technology. Here may access: Library database (OPAC) which has an option for new entries in the last two months; this facility replace the traditional lists with new books purchased by the Library; Full text database of research papers produced by the Center for Studies and Research and the Library; Press review; Web statistics (list of the organizations which accessed the web site of Chamber, organized by different criteria); Telephone book of Chamber; The most useful Internet addresses classified by different criteria. Here the Library has an important contribution for up to date these addresses. Library IT Policy and Equipment The library has 11 workstations, a specialized database with 21,504 records, and 6 modules. Library automation was an excellent opportunity for an ongoing review of library system and the librarianship working methods, according the specific need in Chamber and specific professional standards. Despite these progress in Chamber of Deputies it's realistic to say, the impact of information technology in more organizations and institutions in Romania is still limited. Library Position in Chamber of Deputies The new organization of Library on modern basis was approved by Standing Bureau in May 1994; in September 1996 Standing Bureau approved the establishment of Department for Parliamentary Information and the library was included in this department Library Location The Library is located inside the Palace of Parliament, near the sitting room. It has 3 spacious rooms for reading, information delivery, work stations and any services delivered by library staff: one for monographs and non-book; the 2nd for periodicals and legislation; the 3rd available only for MPs (Sometimes, special events like Exhibitions and different groups meet here) We have also spaces for storage, and special collections. Development Of Collections The grow of collections in the last three years by purchase, gifts and exchange Arrangements. in 1999, 3366 items in 1998, 2705 items in 1997, 2316 items. Gifts are made by Associaation des Parlments Francophones, German Bundestaqg, US Information Agency, Romanian publishers, universities and foundations, and we are also involved in exchange arangments with 55 parliamentary libraries, international organizations an d universities around the world. The collection development policy is subject of considerations about budgetary resources allocated to Library. Relations With Users The clients of the Library are: MPs and parliamentary staff Romania's Government Council of Competition Legislative Council Constitutional Court. These institutions are working in the same building. We also serve Ministry of Prosecution, researches, and practicing students at request. Services for Users Our policy services for users depends of: the budget; the parliamentary activities; the information technology policy of the Chamber; good relations, communication with MPs and parliamentary staff; good relations with administrative structure of Chamber (accounting and budgetary division, IT division, administrative division); the abilities of librarians We are focused on: developing library database; developing collections; developing reference services; ongoing promotion of library services; developing abilities of librarians to operate efficiently in traditional, and specific electronic tools; pursuit a strategy for cooperation on mutual basis with great Romanian and foreign libraries, universities, organizations; for parliamentary needs, Library make information requests to different organizations and institutions; translation of Eurovoc thesaurus. We are using Eurovoc editions from 1995 in online cataloguing process, and for searching in Celex database; very useful is also Spanish 3rd. Edition., 1999 Most Frequently Asked Documents: Romanian Official and foreign, comparative and international legal materials; European documents from CELEX database; Statistical documents. Most Frequently Asked Services: Search in INTERNET; indeed, in present the librarian become from distributor of information in navigator of information in national and international networks (see Annex 3 with few interesting Romanian official INTERNET sites); however the Internet has not replaced, and may never totally replace, the traditional reference works; translations of several foreign documents; compilations or research papers on different issues; reference services; photocopies of official international documents, Romanian official documents; we have inside the Library two photocopies machines, which are working daily very hard; answer by phone at several questions. We are concerned, our answers or services sophisticated or traditionnal in parliamentary environment be: concise appropriate accessible form objective and non-partisan confidentially credible timely We are aware, our credibility could be consolidated in respect of these principles. We are focused for not emphasis, spend much time in our activity for profesionnal librarian standards, which are not understandable by users; that means the parliamentary information needs are top priorities. Neutrality It is a fundamental principle for to be credible, that means the service is extended equally, and on the same basis to all MPs whatever their political affiliation. At the end of 1999, was ratified the Romanian law regarding civil servants, as a support to stabilize and depoliticize the public servants. Political neutrality for parliamentary library staff is very important, and how difficult or how easy is this matter depends of degree of political culture from every country. The verity is one, and the right timely information, may facilitate consensus in political battle. Dialog With Users Library services policy is established by an ongoing dialog with users: special the MPs and staff involved in parliamentary process; the dialog's aims are to inform and communicate with users. For us, to inform it means to transmit information, to support clients receiving the elements for guiding their parliamentary decision process; it is a one way motion. To communicate, to be connected with users, it means to scatter the message in double sense: the message might be accepted, approved, refused or improved by dialog; despite these risks, we have an ongoing dialog. In this Spring, Library's team met the members of European Integration Joint Committee for an exchange of ideas about what we do and what they need; the conclusions was: they need special information, special services, as particular structure; it could be improve the library budget by their support. Statistical Information Individual recorded users: Parliamentary staff In 1999, 405 In 2000, 429 MPs in person In 1999 276 In 2000, 282 In 1999, total loan transactions 10.851, and total reading rooms services 22148 The responses at phone calls, or directly in person at different complex or simple reference inquires are difficult to measure exactly (daily, 3 reference librarians spend time for reponding at around 55 callings). We try to anticipate the future needs for information by pursuit the agenda of Committees, the agenda of plenum debates. Forthcoming Projects Despite daily activities tend to emphasize current operations at the expense of planning, we try to work based on plane, and to make realistic projects based on statistics and the needs of parliamentary process. In the same time, any planning too rigid could be futile if it is not linked of parliamentary environment in which we are working. We intend: increasing the communication with all parliamentary structures; increasing our flexibility (that means our priorities must reflect exactly the needs of parliamentary process); we may curently indentifying the issues in debates; refreshing, improving, the technical skills and experience of library technicians: an ongoing education program based on professional standards and Internet resources. In daily activity, our team must demonstrate: an understanding of parliamentary needs; an ability to communicate clearly with users, and to translate a very diffuse question in a controlled language of available databases, or in responding by using the right document; an ability to know and use the various reference sources; an ability to successfully balance the multiple demands under the pressure; an ability to establish priorities in daily work management, and for that, they need a ongoing private and organized education. A successful librarian need be stand by, creative and informed. In university year 1999/2000, three librarians (from 11, who are working in our Library) finished postgraduate courses at University of Bucharest, Faculty for bibliology and science of information. We intend to increase the mutual relationships with great Romania's libraries and another institutions and parliamentary Libraries; in this context, I could say that Canadian, Czech, Italian, Belgian, Swiss and Polish parliamentary librarians was extremely kind and timely answering to our demands. Also, we have very useful relations with American Information Center, American Bar Association. More of our future activities depends on cost for produce, organize, access, and for judicial protection of information, and of course of the interest of participants: MPs users, and the Chamber leaders; we are aware, it will be more budgetary constraints in the future and it must do more with less. Despite the professional information using appropriate information technology is very expensive, that is positioned to play an important role in our society in the future. A few interesting Romanian Official INTERNET sites Chamber of Deputies http://www.cdep.ro Senate http://www.senat.ro Constitutional Court http://www.ccr.ro Romanian Presidency http://www.presidency.ro http://www.presidency.ro/rom/links.htm Romanian Government http://domino.kappa.ro Foreign Information Service http://www.dci.ro Romanian Intelligent Service http://www.sri.ro Ministry of Justice http://domino2.kappa.ro/mj/ Ministry of National Education http://www.edu.ro Ministry of Foregn Affairs http://domino.kappa.ro/mae/ Direction for European Integration http://servernt1.exec.gov.ro/die Ministry of National Defence http://www.mapn.ro Ministry of Finances http://www.mfinante.ro Work and Social Protection Ministry http://www.mmps-pm.ro General Direction of Customs http://www.customs.ro Mass media of Romania:TV, Radio, newspapers http://www.ziare.com http://romlinkinternational.com/ziare Romanian Ombudsman (People's lawyer) http://www.avp.ro Political organizations http://www.politica.ro Virtual library of Romanian classics writers http://www.starnets.ro/Biblioteca/ National Commission for Statistics http://www.cns.ro Bucharest Mayoralty http://www.pmb.ro State Property Found http://www.fps.org National Bank of Romania http://www.bnr.ro Romanian Universities (connected) http://www.roedu.net/nodes.html Romanian Development Agency http://www.rda.ro Romanian Press Agency http://www.rompress.ro Romanian Cultural Foundation http://www.fcr.ro Marketing and Poll Institution http://www.imas.ro Ioana Borocan Chamber of Deputies Library Palace of Parliament 2-4 Izvor st., Sector 5 Bucuresti Romania Tel: 004 01 4021355 Fax: 004 01 4021417 E-mail: borocan@cdep.ro Chamber of Deputies web site http://www.cdep.ro


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