IAALD NEWS 
 Central and Eastern Europe
Overview of the situation of the Scientific Library of Agricultual University of Tirana
Heroina Deliu, Bibliographer
 
    The Scientific Library of Tirana Agricultural University was set up in November 1951, at the same time with the foundation of Higher Institute of Agriculture, i.e. the Agricultural University of today. Its existence started with a few books donated by the libraries of the Albanian Ministry of Agriculture and agricultural Technical Schools in the country, etc. The library fund consisted of books in Albanian, Italian, Greek, English and other languages. Over the following years the library fund grew, especially in foreign languages such as Russian, Bulgarian, Rumanian, German. The years 1990 coinciding with the opening of Albania to the world witnessed also a qualitative and quantitative increase of the library fund. Thanks to extensive relations with over 180 foreign libraries and similar institutions in 42 countries of the world, the number of library holding reached 200,000 volumes of books and magazines in over 10 foreign languages. All the literature was processed based on updated international standards. With regard to its capacity and its functions it was ranked as the third largest library in our country after the National Library and Tirana University Research Library. In the meanwhile it has been functioning as a National Agricultural Library of Albania. The library has been the most important centre for the collection and distribution of the agricultural information.Until the year 1991 the library published regularly a number of agricultural bulletins and catalogues; thereafter this activity was interrupted due to shortages of funds.
    The victory of democracy in Albania marked a new stage of development and enabled the Agricultural University of Tirana to establish relations of assistance and co-operation with world counterpart universities. The scientific and educational life of the University changed, thus influencing directly the activity of the Library in serving the University.
    So, the beginning of the year 1997 found the Scientific Library of Tirana Agricultural University with remarkable achievements especially from the automation and modernization viewpoint. The replacement of the traditional information tools with the contemporary ones has become quite possible.During June-July of 1995 a considerable number of Pentium computers were connected in a network. The library was enriched with fundamental books, periodicals, floppy discs filled with information, compact discs, etc. The library possessed also CD-ROMs of different types such as AGRIS, AGRICOLA, PROQUEST, and ECONLIT.
    AGRIS Information on CD-ROM begins with 1975 and goes up to August 1996, and AGRICOLA information on CD-ROM from 1979-1984, and from 1992 to June 1996.
    All the mentioned achievements have been due to cooperative projects with the French Government (1993), the USA (1994) SARA Project, and the German Government (1994) GTZ Project.
    The social unrest of early Spring 1997 did not spare the Agricultural University of Tirana, which was burned, ruined and looted. The furniture and equipment was also wiped out. The three buildings of 2550 m2 were severely damaged. Damage to literature - 200,000 volumes were burned of which 150,000 books were in foreign languages and 50,000 books in Albanian. Damage to furniture and equipment assuring modernisation and automatization of the library were identified with money invested by SARA and GTZ projects respectively at 180,000 USD and 33,000 DM. In addition, there was also quite a lot of damage to the fund enriched continuously since the very creation of University, and damage to the premises, buildings and surroundings. Doors and windows were burned and broken, the electric supply system was destroyed, and the concrete and armoury parts were damaged. In order to bring the building and premises of the library of the Agricultural University in Tirana back to the conditions that held before early spring 1997, we are asking kindly for assistance.

Thank You,

Heroina DELIU, Head of the Library Processing
Scientific Library of Agricultural University, Tirana
ALBANIA
Fax/Tel.: 00355-42-27010/27804
E-mail: AUT.LIB@SARA.AUT.TIRANA.AL
E-mail: WINROCK-AUT@CGNET.COM