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LEAP News archive

EXPANDING ACCESS TO ELECTRONIC INFORMATION IN UKRAINE -- LEAP WORKSHOP IN YEVPATORIYA CITY LIBRARY

September 3-6, 2007: Twenty two public library directors from various Ukrainian regions met on September 3-6 in Crimean cities Simferopol and Yevpatoria to discuss Internet access issues and the role of libraries in broadening access to electronic information. Kiev IRC staff and PAO assistant held a workshop entitled, "Library Electronic Access Project (LEAP) of the U.S. Embassy in Ukraine: Analyzing Experience, Planning the Future." Library directors visited LEAP Internet centers in Crimean I. Franko Republican Library, Crimean-Tatar Gasprinsky Republican Library, Yevpatoria City Public Library; discussed best practices for administering a LEAP center and grant management; received training in providing free access to information. The workshop and the Internet center opened in Yevpatoria City Library with the help of the U.S. Embassy grant was covered in the local "Yevpatoriyskaya Zdravnitsa" newspaper with the audience of 25,200. Yevpartoria Deputy Mayor Mr. Valeriy Batiuk as well as all 22 library directors from various parts of Ukraine gave the recognition to the Embassy and U.S. government for funding this important program.
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INFORMATION RESOURCE CENTER CONDUCTS LEAP WORKSHOP IN KHERSON OBLAST LIBRARY

August 20-22, 2007: Kyiv IRC staff and the PAO assistant held a workshop entitled, "Electronic Resources for Everyone: Strategies and Tactics of Internet Center Creation in Public Libraries of Ukraine." Thirteen public library directors, the winners of the latest round of Library Electronic Access (LEAP) grants, received training in providing free access to information and grant management. Kherson Deputy Mayor Serhiy Cherevko, Kalanchak Rayon Administration Head Vasyl Bohunenko and Kalanchak Rayon Council Head Mykola Sheptura praised the U.S. Embassy for supporting the development of Internet centers in their public libraries. With the opening of 13 new LEAP centers in various regions of Ukraine more Ukrainian citizens will receive free access to information. It will serve to bridge the digital divide in Ukrainian society and broaden the partnership between the United States and Ukraine.
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U.S. EMBASSY AWARDS 16 GRANTS TO UKRAINIAN LIBRARIES TO OPEN INTERNET CENTERS

The U.S. Embassy has awarded grants to 16 Ukrainian public libraries to open free public Internet centers as part of the Library Electronic Access Project (LEAP). The goal of this program is to support Ukrainian citizens' access to information, a cornerstone of democracy.
Since 2001, the U.S. government has devoted more than $1.5 million to improving Ukrainian citizens' access to information by opening free Internet centers in public libraries. Libraries have received grants of up to $10,000 for computer equipment, software, and two years of Internet access. Today's grants bring the number of Internet centers opened in Ukraine under this project up to 130.

The 16 winning libraries are:

1. Bakhchisaray Centralized Library System (Crimea)
2. Bohuslav Central Rayon Library (Kyiv Oblast)
3. Brianka Centarl City Library (Luhansk Oblast)
4. Chornomorsk Centralized Library System (Crimea)
5. Kakhovka Central Rayon Library (Kherson Oblast)
6. Nadvirna Central Rayon Library (Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast)
7. Perechyn Central Rayon Library (Zakarpattia Oblast)
8. Rogatyn Central Rayon Library (Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast)
9. Shostka Central City Library (Sumy Oblast)
10. Tiachiv Central Rayon Library (Zakarpattia Oblast)
11. Verhniodniprovsk Central Rayon Library (Dnipropetrovsk Oblast)
12. Voznesensk Central Rayon Library (Mykolayiv Oblast)
13. Zachepylivka Central Rayon Library (Kharkiv Oblast)
14. Stakhanov Central City Library (Luhansk Oblast)
15. Konotop Central Rayon Library (Sumy Oblast)
16. Storozhynets Central Rayon Library (Chernivtsi Oblast)

PA Opens Two Public Access Internet Centers for citizens of Krasny Luch, Lugansk oblast and Ievpatoria, Crimea: On February 14 and 21 PA opened two new Public Access Internet Centers in the Eastern Ukrainian town of Krasny Luch, Lugansk oblast and the Southern Ukrainian town of Yevpatoria, Crimea. Head of the Krasny Luch Department of Culture, other officials and library patrons thanked PA and the U.S. Government for the grant. Ms. Maryna Chupryna, director of Krasny Luch Library, said that the LEAP project not only brought computer equipment and Internet connection to her library, but also brought the support of local authorities.

Ms. Svitlana Arikhina, director of Yevpatoria library said that the victory in the LEAP project and succeeding training workshop organized by PA helped her to broaden her horizons, to build bridges with other Internet centers and learn about other programs, sponsored by the U.S. Government in Ukraine. "The library's Internet center, which is located in the city center, will help thousands and thousands of my citizens to get free access to information, due to the LEAP program, -" said Ms.Arikhina.

New Public Access Internet Center in Tulchyn Central Rayon Library: On January 26, POL OMS Debbie Ash represented the U.S. Embassy at the opening of the newest LEAP (Library Internet Access Project) Center in the Tulchyn Central Rayon Library. More than 100 library patrons, government officials, local media and guests attended the event. Top officials of the rayon and oblast administration thanked the U.S. Embassy for the grant, which helped to bring Internet to the library and ensure free access to information for the local community. "The Internet Center opening in Tulchyn Rayon Library is a real information revolution in the region, which will bring lots of changes in its future development," said the Head of the Rayon Administration Mr. Novitskiy.
This Internet center was the 113th opened in Ukraine under the Library Electronic Access Project (LEAP). Tulchyn Rayon Library received a grant for computer equipment, software, Internet Access, and training of users.

January 2007: The New Public Access Internet Center in the "Heart of Ukraine"
On January 16, all of the top officials of the Central Ukrainian town of Gadiach, Poltava Oblast gathered in the library to cut the ribbon and open the new Internet Center under the LEAP program. City Mayor Tetiana Savchenko, and other officials thanked the U.S. Embassy for the grant, which helped to bring Internet to the library and open a free access to information for the local community. Ms. Tetiana Guzii, the Head of the Gadiach Department of Culture, said that the opening of the Internet Center "is not an ordinary event for the Gadiach region. It's a holiday, which gives the new birth to this 145- year old library. Since it is the only library in the region that now has Internet, it will be used not only by the patrons from Gadiach, but also from the local villages." Gadiach library is the first in the region that now has Internet, due to the LEAP project in Ukraine, which provides grants for computer equipment, software, Internet Access, and training. Local government, business and the public support the project.

December 2006: Three New Public Access Internet Centers (LEAP) are opened in Ukrainina Libraries:
On December 17 and 19, library patrons, government officials, local media, guests, and IRC staff participated in library Internet center openings in the Western Ukrainian towns of Vynogradiv, Zakarpattia oblast; Chervonograd, Lviv oblast and Horodenka, Ivano-Frankivsk oblast. City Mayor Mr. Igor Chudiiovych, library director Nadiia Pokotylo, and active library patron Valeriia (pictured above) were the first honorary users of the newly opened Internet center in Chervonograd. The mayor provided approximately $10,000 from the local budget in matching funds to open the Internet center. In Horodenka, the Head of Rayon Administration Mr.Vasyl Yemchuk, the Head of Rayon Council Bohdan Kobyliansky, the local priest and others praised the U.S. Government for this project and underlined its role in providing free and unbiased access to information in Ukraine.

LEAP-V ADD Workshop:
Accessibility of Electronic Information:
Strategy and Tactics for Opening Internet Centers at Public Libraries of Ukraine
Lviv Oblast Library for Children
October 12-13, 2006
Pictures from the LEAP-V ADD Workshop:

Photo gallery:
Ambassador William Taylor visits Lviv City Library for Children
October 6, 2006

Photo gallery:
Pictures from the LEAP-Equal Access Internet Center Seminar in
Rivne Oblast Library
August 28-30, 2006

Photo gallery:
Pictures from the LEAP-Equal Access Internet Center Seminar in
Kherson Oblast Library
August 9-11, 2006

Photo gallery:
Internet Center Official Opening in the Central Library for the Blind
March 21, 2006

"Okulyar" Internet Center for the visually impaired opens in Rivne
March 16, 2006

U.S. Embassy Awards 13 Grants to Ukrainian Libraries to Open Internet Centers

Photo gallery:
Grant Award Ceremony and LEAP-V Workshop
January 31 - February 1, 2006