Romanian Libraries Recover after the Cold War: The Communist Legacy and the Road Ahead

There is an urgent need for current leaders to stem the neglect suffered by Romanian libraries during the Communist years by acknowledging the importance of the library as an institution and by providing financial support to move the libraries into the realm of the developed countries. Historically, Romanian libraries developed in much the same way as libraries did in countries in Western Europe: monastic and ecclesiastical libraries, court libraries, and private collections, some becoming college libraries, and public libraries created to support education for all citizens. Independence in 1877 led to the creation of universities and the establishment of an academic library system. There was, however, a derailment in this continued development of libraries in Romania under the forty-five years of Communist rule. Its effects are still being felt today as the country struggles with a high inflation rate; an abandonment by authorities as they focus on more immediate problems; a lack of specialized faculty to teach new skills and technology to library school graduates, along with an outdated curriculum; an "anybody can do it" attitude toward librarianship; an outdated infrastructure; a critical "knowledge lag"; damaging attitudes adopted under Communism; and a lack of management expertise. The library, under Communism and the legacy of Communism, is presented interchangeably, through an exploration of the library system, the librarians' status, professional associations, the library's image in society, cultural policies, collections, censorship, infrastructure, and mentalities.