It is situated in the South- Eastern Europe - in the Eastern part of the Balkan Peninsula

1. It is situated in the South- Eastern Europe - in the Eastern part of the Balkan Peninsula Bulgaria covers area of almost 111000 square kilometers - about the same size as the US state of Ohio

2. Wonderland Bulgaria It is fascinatingly variegated - low, medium and high mountains, hills and plateaus, low lands, gorges and passes, valleys and meadows, gulfs and beaches.

3. Rila and Pirin are alpine mountains, Stara planina is the longest mountain; it divides the country into two parts: Nortern and Southern. Called also Balkan/range/, it is the “name - giver”of the whole peninsula. The climate is moderate continental with four seasons and average annual temperature of 10.5 degrees centigrade.

4. Bulgaria Demographics Population:8 000 000 (according to the census taken in 2000) Nationality: noun: Bulgarian(s) adjective: Bulgarian Ethnic groups: Bulgarian 83%, Turk 8.5%, Roma 2.6%, Armenian and others Religions: Bulgarian Orthodox 83.5%, Muslim 13%, Roman Catholic 1.5%, Uniate Catholic, Jewish, Protestant, Gregorian-Armenian and other 1% Languages: Bulgarian, secondary languages closely correspond to ethnic breakdown Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write Currency: lev (BGL);Currency code: BGL Settlements: 5406Capital city: Sofia, with 1 188 000 inhabitantsLarger cities: Plovdiv, Varna, Bourgas, Stara Zagora, Rousse, PlevenAirports:Sofia, Varna, BourgasHarbours:on the Black Sea - Varna, Bourgas, Balchick, Nessebur; on the Danube - Vidin, Lom, Oriakhovo, Nickopol, Svishtov, Rousse, Toutrackan, Sillistra

5. Historysome of the most significant dates and events in the history of Bulgaria:681 - The Bulgarian state was founded on the present-day territory of Europe 864 - 866 - Bulgaria adopted Christianity885 - Cyril and Methodius created the Slavonic script1018 - 1185 - Bulgaria fell within the limits of the Byzantine Empire and Rule1186 - Restoration of the Bulgarian state1396 - 1878 - Bulgaria was under the Turkish YokeThe well-organized national liberation movement stared in themiddle of 19th century.One of the main figures was Vassil Levski1876 - The April Uprising broke out1878 - The Liberation from Ottoman domination1878 - 1944 - Bulgaria was a constitutional monarchy1944 - 1989 - Bulgaria was a people’s republic, governed by the communist party Since 10th of November 1989 Bulgaria has been a parliamentary republic. Bulgarian president now is Georgi Parvanov and the Prime minister is Simeon Saxe - Coburg - Gotha

6. The Bulgarian Flag is composed of three color which all have any meaning The WHITE - means FreedomThe GREEN - means The Beautiful Nature and The RED - means the blood of the Bulgarians who defended the country in wars. • The National Anthem of Bulgaria • Proud Balkan mountains,next to them the Danube flows,the sun sheds its light over Thrace,shining over Pirin.Chorus: • Dear native land,you are paradise on earth,your beauty and your charm,ah, they never end. • Many fighters gave their lifefor our dear nation,Mother, give us strengthto follow in their steps.

7. Bulgarian culture A lot of different people, inhabited today’s Bulgarian territories have left numerous proofs of their highly developed culture in hundred of vaults: - Thracian gold treasures,the largest Tracian tumulus near Starosel, the first alphabet in Slavic language, the Madara Horseman, the wonderful castle Tsarevets, many churches, monasteries. Starosel Madara Horseman Tsarevets Rila monastery Ivan Vazov National Theater Manassius’s Chronicon

8. Bulgarian folklore It bears all characteristic of a rich and still vital cultural system. It has a dual character as a type of culture: it is as a spiritual expression of an agrarian type of sociality; it is permeated by the historical time of the Bulgarians Bulgarian Folk music Bulgarian folk songs and performers are liked and praised in many places around the globe. Valya Balkanska is a singer of Bulgarian folk songs from Rhodopes region. A song of hers is included in the gramophone record in the Voyager 1 and Voyajer 2 as a message to other civilizations The Bulgarian folk music has had a strong impact on modern world music The mystery of Bulgarian Voices is known and valued world - wide Traditional Bulgarian musical instruments are:pipe, shepherd’s pipe or wooden flute /kaval/, bagpipe, rebec, pandore etc. Wind Instruments Stringed Instruments gadulka kaval tambura bagpipe

9. Bulgariannational folk costumes - beauty, colors , remarkable works of Bulgarian folk arts In the mind of the Bulgarian people, clothing is not only an element of life but also an inseparable part of one's identity from the Region of Strandja mountain from the Region of Sredets from the Region of Pirin mountain from the Region of Sofia from the Region of Stara Zagora from the Region of Dobroudja The most typical shoes to almost all ethnographical regions in Bulgaria. They are made of real leather. Comfortable for dancing.

10. St. Trifon's Day In the agricultural calendar, St. Trifon's Day celebrates the pruning of the vines, and is held on February 14. Kukerov Den On the first Sunday before Lent, Kukerov Den celebrates the start of the agricultural year, and all over Bulgaria you can witness processions led by the dancing. leaping Kukeri dressed in colourful masks and costumes. Baba Marta Baba Marta is celebrated on March 1 when peasant house-holds brush out the winter cobwebs with a traditional spring clean. and people offer each other tokens of good luck called martenitsas. Kukeri Like western countries. the Bulgarian calendar is dotted with important feast days and festivals. The festival of the Kukeri re-enacts ancient surovaki rites to ward off evil spirits and Kukeri fertility rites. Although only held once every five years, it brings together dancers from all over Bulgaria in a rainbow of colours and styles. St. Lazarus Day Lazaruvane is also celebrated in spring on St. Lazarus Day, and here village girls considered fit for marriage perform ritual songs and dances. St. Konstantin and St. Elena Day The coming of summer is traditionally celebrated on St. Konstantin and St. Elena Day on May 21, and in some of the remoter villages in the Stranzha hills fire dancing, dancing on heated coals, is still practised in celebration of summer's arrival. Ethnologists have suggested that this practice is directly descended from Dionysina rites of the ancient Thracian The national holidays

11. Folk wedding The national holidays Trifon’s day Koukeri Koledari Fire dancing in the Strandja mountain Laduvane

12. Bulgarian Libraries - the oldest, the most numerous and widespread cultural and information institutions in Bulgaria • Historical facts • – 865 AD - Brothers Cyril and Methodius gave the Slavic alphabet to the world • – Prior to the Ottoman oppression in 1396 -the Monastic libraries became centers for learning and culture • – Centuries of Ottoman occupation (1396 - 1878) - had other more subtle effects on library and scholarly communication • – The middle of 19th century - the first public libraries appeared in response to a specific need of society during the Bulgarian Renaissance (in 1856 was established the first Bulgarian chitalishte and its libraryin Svishtov) – 1869- the establishment of the first scientific library - the Central library of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences • – 1897 - The first Government decree for the deposit copy and the deposit system; the beginning of the National bibliography. • – The years of socialism (1944 - 1989) - libraries were heavily dependent on communist ideology, they existed in a well - developed hierarchical, state-regulated system

13. Bulgarian Library network - by 2001 the total number of libraries was 8 587 "St. Cyril and St. Methodius" National Library - founded in 1878. Its holdings consist of about seven million library units. It is the archives of Bulgarian literature, center of the national bibliography, and a scientific institute. Central scientific libraries - six libraries. They provide specialized library information services, according to their profile. They are founded mainly at universities and academies and their holdings consist of about ten million units altogether. The major libraries in the national library information system with the biggest contributions are the following: University libraries - 84 libraries. 3877 public libraries includes: 12 libraries are Regional libraries ( public libraries with regional responsibilities)- consult and conduct qualification activities of smaller public libraries in the district, maintain union catalogs of their holdings. 15 libraries are municipality library. Schitalishte Libraries -1646 School libraries -2 599

14. www.lib.bg

15. Bourgas *is the sunniest place in the whole Black Sea area - 2330 hours of sunshine on average - more than in any other Black Sea resort

16. Bourgas Geographical facts *is situated in the farthest western part of the Bourgas Bay, which is the largest one on the Black Sea coast *is locked between the Bourgas Bay and the three lagoon lakes, that surround it. *is situated at an altitude of only 17 meters *its climate is temperately continental with a distinct impact from the sea

17. Bourgas the largest town of South - Eastern Bulgaria the second largest town at the Black Sea coast the second largest industrial center of the country the forth largest Bulgarian town in terms of population (200 000 inhabitants)

18. Bourgas history “The Sea brings together all that is distant” Joan Ekzarch * the earliest signs of life - can be traced back to the Bronze and the beginning of the Iron age *the first appearance of the name of Bourgas - in the poem of a Byzantine author Manuill Fill in the year 1306 as Pirgos, which means “the tower” * 6th February 1878 - The Liberation from the Ottoman oppression * In 1903 - was opened the Port of Bourgas

19. The old Bourgas First 40s of the XX century

20. The contemporary Bourgas provides the second largest share of the national gross product of Bulgaria Bourgas industry Port of Bourgas - the key to the gateway to Europe and Asia Every year it is visited by almost 2000 vessels and a number of petroleum tankers Bourgas airport - the airport with the best weather conditions when considering the Balkan Peninsula Bourgas is a big railway and traffic center - the road and the railway line between Bulgarian capital and Bourgas is the main line of communications of the country LUKOIL Neftochim EAD - one of the biggest industrial plants on the Balkan Peninsula the machine-building, the sea and ocean fishing, the wood-processing, the textile and food industries are well developed

21. Bourgas the town of the free spirit, artistic atmosphere and creative energy The cultural institutes are: “P.K. Yavorov” Regional library The Bourgas galeries The Bourgas Regional Museums “A. Budevska” Drama Theater - has formed the stages in the development of Bulgarian theater • The Opera and Philharmonic Society • The Puppet theater, the Folklore Ensemble “Strandja”, the music band Hot sands”, the Choir “Rodna pesen”

22. The cultural events in Bourgas - of national and international importance the International Folklore Festival Sofia International Film Festival “At the coast” the national competition for popular songs “Bourgas and the Sea” , the Musical Feasts “Emil Cakarov”, the national competition for children’s songs “Sladkopoyna Chuchuliga”

23. Bourgas Prof. Assen Zlatarov University Bourgas Sea garden Bourgas Free University the central square of Bourgas Bourgas is the first Bulgarian town awarded that prestigious award

24. Bourgas - town of the poets, artists, musicians Petya Dubarova Stefan and Paulina Stanchevi Stoian Tzanev Tonica Nentscho Russev Christo Fotev

25. Bulgarian Library Exchange: Creating Gateways for Global Understanding and Community Information Services Partnership “P. K. Yavorov” Regional Library Bourgas Cedar Rapids - Public Library

26. The meeting of a part of the Library staff with Mr. Robert Anderson on 8th November 2003

27. “P. K.Yavorov” Regional Library - Bourgas The Reading rooms for specialists. The Reference department. Acquisition. Cataloging and processing The Arts Department. The Reading room for young adults. The Reading room for the daily periodicals The main building. The Director. The Circulation desk. The Office

28. The Library in pictures

29. Bourgas Regional Libraryin dates • 1888 - The establishment of the Library • 1944 - The Library became a State Peoples Library and was included in the system for legal deposit • 1953 - 1987 - The Library functioned as a District library • 1978 - The library was given name of the famous Bulgarian poet Peyo Yavorov

30. Bourgas Regional Libraryin dates • 1991 - The Library automation was started.The electronic catalog of books was developed. • 2000 - The Library was given a statute as Regional with a decree of the Government Library Structure Director Circulation Desk. Registration desk Office Arts Department Reading Rooms for specialists. Registration desk Acquisition Cataloging and Processing Reference Department Reading Room for young adults Children Department

31. “P. K. Yavorov”Regional Library resources600 000 library materials: • 400 000 books • 68 000 periodicals • 28 500 national and other standarts • 16 000 music scores • 7 000 graphical materials, map collection, atlases • two private libraries of Bourgas writers -Paulina and Stefan Stanchevi-3000 units -Petko Rosen -more than 700 units •collection, connected with the town of Bourgas and the district - 4000 library materials, including books, periodicals, posters, leaflets, old and new postcards

32. Library Statistics: • 8000 registered patrons a year • 80 000 visits a year • 180 000 borrowed materials a year • 10 000 new library materials a year

33. Electronic Library resources: • OPAC includes machine - readable bibliographic records of : • the acquired books - 50 000 records - since 1991 to present (retrospective conversion is under way) • periodicals index of publications about Bourgas and the district-27 000 records (since 2000 to present) • more than 5000 titles of periodicals(which the Library possess or owns) • the books, published in Bulgaria from 1878 to 1991 • the articles in Bulgarian periodicals - from 1991 to present - 262 000 records • Internet access, EBSCO (with low price subscription through the Bulgarian information consortium) • 2 databases with the laws and decrees of Bulgarian government • The Web- Site of the Library created as a gateway of a culture - informational center of the town and the district-www.burglib.org

34. The Bourgas newspaper “Chernomorsky far” 14/ 04/ 2004 The publication about the participation of the Regional Library in the Bulgarian - American Library exchange Project.