The status
THE MONTENEGRO STATE LENDING LIBRARY FOR THE VISUALLY IMPAIRED is a public institution founded and supported by THE GOVERNMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF MONTENEGRO. The financial resources for the work of the Library are provided through the Ministry for culture affairs or THE REPUBLIC OF MONTENEGRO. The Library belongs to the Sector of culture heritage of Montenegro. It is directed by THE LIBRARY COUNCIL set by the founder. THE LIBRARY COUNCIL involves the representatives of various institutions and organizations: 2 representatives come from the professional and scientific circles, two representatives are from the employed peoples and one is from the Union of the Blind of Montenegro.
The Council works according to the business rules.
The Library is managed by the Director
A historic background
First Braille books appeared in the area of Montenegro in the middle of the previous century when the first school for visually impaired children was set at The Place of Perast, relocated to The Place of Risan later on. Even today many anecdotes are spread about the times when the pupils were reading the Braille books in the rooms of this boarding school with enormous enthusiasm, delight and devotion.
On libraries in general
Libraries, as institutions of culture, have an exceptional role and significance for cultural development of the society and represent highly civilized standard of meeting the cultural needs of the population of any state.
The work and resources of the library
The work of the library include s the following activities:
- Procurement, storing, sorting, classification, cataloguing, saving and transcribing the books into the Braille and transferring the books into other accessible techniques for the visually handicapped readers;
2. Publishing the Braille books and transponning the ink printed books into accessible formats;
3. Publishing the magazines for the visually impaired people;
4. Organizing a reading room;
5. Organizing book promotions, literary evenings, round tables, panels etc.;
6. Other works according to the law / administrative works etc.
Services
Generally, there are two services:
- Home service;
- Mailing service
For the readers living in the City of Podgorica, the ordered books are brought directly home by the library vehicle.
The readers living out of Podgorica receive their books through the regular mailing system.
The two services are free of charge.
Organizational and working scheme
The Library is situated in The City of Podgorica, the capital of The Republic of Montenegro. Some 30% of the visually impaired population lives in Podgorica. The library is located on the address of 9, Radosav Buric street in a building of 360 square meters.