Libraries to Be Abolished in Gori

“The authority does not like books in Gori” - these are the conclusions made by the staff at Gori and the Gori region’s libraries. According to official information, the libraries that were retained in the villages through many difficulties are now being abolished, but in Gori youth libraries are most targeted. 

The librarians applied to ‘Human Rights Information and Documentation Centre’ for help.

Lili Giunashvili (librarian): “The question of abolishing libraries, particularly of our one, has been raised several times for many years now. Levan Berdzenishvili, being a director of the Tbilisi Public Library personally arrived here and categorically insisted that the Gori Youth Library not be abolished. Our library is nearly 40 years old. We have kept unique books for many years, having only a salary of 30GEL. When new books were published, we used to buy them ourselves. We made lawns near the entrance, decorated the yard with flowers, but they were stamped on and nobody paid any attention to us. We will not put up with this situation, we will bother everybody involved.”

Librarian Tina Tinikashvili says that the staff managed to repair and make new shelves with the help of their families. However they are told now that libraries are no longer necessary in the town.

Tina Tinikashvili (librarian) states: “The Youth Library is situated in the town centre, in Stalini Str. A lot of people pass the place, including retired people. There is a People’s Bank’s branch next to it where the old people stand in a queue waiting for their pension. They usually enter the library and read newspapers. Besides that, students from Gori University use to walk along this street every day. A big portion of them are from villages.”

The employees at the library hope that the local government does not know about the situation and will for sure become interested in their problems. Librarian Lili Giunashvili points out that the question of abolishing the libraries is not within the competence of Nana Abramidze, head of Library Union nor of Robert Maghlakelidze, chief of Culture Department. As we later found out, the librarians blame these two people for the problem.

Nana Abramidze (Head of Central Library Union) states - “No official document exists about abolishing this or that library. I am only informed about the further reorganization which has taken place in other regions as well. There the libraries and staff were reduced. I do not know what kind of reforms will be carried out in Gori.
I know only one thing: That the staff will be cut according to the funds apportioned from the government. The funds are estimated by the administrative board and the Culture Department.”

The Gori Regional Administrative Board declares that the regions budget is a scarce one and increases in library funds are not expected in the near future. We were informed at the Administrative Board because the minimal salary is now set at 115GEL, this money can be generated by reducing the number of employees’ and abolishing certain libraries.

Saba Tsitsikashvili, Gori