On June 27 I went to Minsk, Belarus, to speak to the university and national Belarusian librarians in Minsk about library assessment. This opportunity came through the Bureau of International Information Programs (IIP) of the US Department of State and is part of the US Speaker Program. It was at the invitation of the Belarusian Library Association, the Belarusian State Fundamental University Library, and Piotr Lapo, director of the library.

The purpose of this program is for the professional development of senior Belarus library specialists and to enhance their knowledge of national and international standards and practices. The presentations cover evaluation and measurement of the academic libraries performance. The overall goal is to support more effective management and use of information technology in Belarus libraries to better serve patrons and enhance their access to diverse and independent sources of information. Seven separate presentations on assessment, evaluation, and performance measures are planned for IT specialists, library school faculty and students, the staff for the National Library of Belarus, the Belarusian Library Association Council, and university librarians.

The US Speaker Program of the IIP organizes American experts and citizens to meet directly with foreign publics to promote understanding of U.S. culture, institutions and policies through lectures, workshops and seminars. http://www.state.gov/r/iip/programs/index.htm
I have been on this speaker program before, as have several GSLIS faculty, and I find it very constructive. In my view, it is not political.

Onsite, the visit is coordinated by Marina Shubina, Information Resource Center Director, and her staff; Violetta Vutsans, Information Resource Center Assistant and Nadya Skorobogataya. As the website for the IRC states, the Information Resource Center (IRC) is the research and reference service of the U.S. Embassy in Belarus. It aims to support all programs of the U.S. Mission in Belarus by providing current and authoritative information on the United States and the issues of importance to U.S.-Belarus relations. http://minsk.usembassy.gov/irc.html. The IRC provides information support for all programs of the US Mission in Belarus. It also provides reference and research service to the Belarusian community.

I arrived in Minsk from Frankfurt on Saturday, July 27, was picked up and checked into the Hotel Minsk on Nyezhavizhimosty Avenue, the main street in Minsk, which has been renamed several times recently. In the evening, I am briefed by Piotr Lapo, which was extremely useful. I started re-doing my powerpoint.

Terry Plum