BOOK DONATION
CSD launched its Book Donation
Program back in 1990, when it established a partnership with the
US Sabre Foundation. CSD started receiving annually several
shipments of US publications donated by the Sabre Foundation.
Since 1990, as an official partner to the Foundation, CSD has
received and distributed countrywide 16 shipments of more than
330,000 books worth over ,000,000.
Sabre's Book Donation
Philosophy
Sabre's Book
Donation Program is valued by overseas NGOs because of Sabre's
steadfast adherence to the policy that when it comes to the
educational needs of developing and transitional countries,
indigenous organizations know best. The keystone of Sabre's book
program is that it is demand-driven. Rather than trying to send as
many books as possible, regardless of demonstrated need. Sabre
gives its overseas partners the opportunity to select books and
CD-ROMs from detailed inventory offering lists that are sent
electronically. Only titles and quantities specifically requested
by its partners are shipped by Sabre. Those titles are new,
high-quality, up-to-date books selected by Sabre from the offerings
made by donating publishers. In the selection process, Sabre's
rule-of-thumb is that something which is of no value in the U.S. is
usually equally valueless overseas. The schools, universities,
libraries and individuals that benefit from Sabre's Book Donation
Program are not regarded as the recipients of aid for whom "any
book is better than no book at all" - they are regarded instead as
customers without money.
Sabre Foundation, USA
These activities continue a long tradition in
Bulgaria of donations aimed at contributing to education and public
knowledge. CSD's book donation was also quite timely as it came at
a moment when educational and cultural budgets were shrinking both
nationally and locally.
It assisted Bulgarian
universities, libraries, hospitals, and individuals by helping them
staying in touch with international scientific exchanges in a
period when knowledge economy is taking root globally.
Areas of knowledge covered by the donations have
varied widely - from heart surgery to telecommunications, while
some of the latest donations were the first to include, in addition
to books, CD-ROMs, as well as audio and videotapes.
During the year 2000 an exhibition was opened first
on February 17th in the Medical University of Plovdiv, and a second
one on March 9 in the Central Medical Library in Sofia. The
donation included more than 2200 titles with medical atlases,
textbooks, reference materials, dictionaries and monographs from
all branches of medicine. These donations are a part of the Medical
Library in Sofia.
The donations include more than 2200 series of
presentations throughout the country of the medical literature
donation received in July 1999. They also include educational CDs,
video and audiotapes and slides by Williams and Wilkins Publishers
provided by
Sabre Foundation, amounting to over ,6 m.
The books have been published within the last three years.
An Exhibition of medical literature, donated to the
National Health Insurance Company (NHIC) and its 28 regional
branches was opened on April 5th, 2000. Dr. Boyko Penkov, Director
of the National Health Insurance Company, the US Ambassador Mr. Richard
Miles, the Mayor of Sofia Stefan Sofyanski - Chair of NHIC Board
and CSD President Dr. Ognian Shentov opened the exhibition. Dr.
Metodi Yankov, Director of Sofia Regional National Health Insurance
Company accepted the donations on behalf of the Company's regional
branches.
An exhibition of books donated to Fifth Sofia City
Hospital was opened on July 7, 2000. The donation included study
materials, tests, monographs, atlases, medical dictionaries,
reference books, multimedia training programs, dentistry and
pharmacology specialized editions, GP medicine and monographs on
the narrowly specialized areas as well. All titles were of the US
Williams & Wilkins Publishers of the last couple of years. The
donation's overall value exceeded USD 800,000. The spouse of the US
Ambassador to Bulgaria Mrs. Sharon Miles opened exhibition. Doctors
from Fifth Sofia City Hospital, regional hospitals,
representatives of pharmacological and medical equipment trade
companies were among the guests.
On September 29, 2000 the Center for the Study of
Democracy received a new shipment of donated literature of the
Sabre Foundation. It contained 15,984 books in 321 titles, covering
medicine, economy, computer technologies, etc.
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