The Digital Human Rights Library was introduced at the rural library of the Sherbaktinsky Rayon (area) in October 2006. “We published an article in the local newspaper”, bibliographer Natalia Vitishchenko recalls. “Soon, pensioners came with questions to seek help. Questions have also been asked about children’s rights”. “The digital library allows us to find an answer in 5 minutes», tells Ms Vitishchenko, whose library is equipped with five computers with access to the internet.

The small rural library of Oryol has also computers with internet access. The library is widely used by the village population of 1,117. After the human rights library was introduced some months ago, users have sought various kinds of information, for example on their rights for pension or study grants. Librarian Natalia Anatoleva says that the members of the village council also find the service useful.

The librarians find the Greenstone digital library system simple and easy to use. “And it is very necessary for our people. The digital library is a window in the world», they say.

Selected library experts were trained as trainers in the use of the digital library service at the National Academic Library in Astana last October. Later they have been conducting training for their colleagues at the regional and rural libraries. Technical support to the rayon libraries is provided by the regional public library.

The Kazakhstan Digital Library on Human Rights was created through a joint effort of UNDP, UNESCO, the Human Rights Commission of Presidential Administration and the Parliament of the Republic of Kazakhstan. It was distributed to regional, rayon and rural libraries through the library network of the Ministry of Culture and Information. The National Academic Library in Astana is in charge of keeping the service up-to-date.