The Long Hot Summer Begins

Yesterday began our real summer...hot and dry and oh so uncomfortable for folks like me who don't like the heat! However, for those of you back home who love the summer would kill for this weather. It's dry all day everyday, with the sun shining high in the sky from 4 am until 9 pm. It's perfect beach weather! I really can't complain, however, because there is none of the humidity we East Coast residents feel, which always makes for a really sticky and nasty environment.

Now for the news.....

Last Sunday the Open Borders English Club met in the park because the library was closed for yet another holiday. It was a lovely day and we really enjoyed the change of scenery. In fact, we were all in agreement that we should perhaps meet in the park another time or two. This Sunday we were only a group of five but it's enough for a lively discussion.

Valentina and I

Julia and I

Max, Julia, me, and Yuri

IN other news, Julia and I resumed our book shopping in Dnepropetrovsk this past Sunday. We acquired another 23 books for the library. I think I may have mentioned this before, but I have to say it again...it's great fun spending someone else's money! Our next excursion to purchase books will be to the city of Kharkiv. Julia, myslef, Veronica (another club member) and Anya the librarian will all go for a 2 day shopping excursion. Veronica attended the university in Kharhiv and has inside information about discount book sellers! We are planning our excursion for the 23rd of June.

More New Books!

The last bit of news is that our new computer equipment will be arriving in September! If anyone missed the big story back in February, I'll recap. Our libraries won a really awesome grant of computer equipment! We will be alloted computers, web cams, printers and scanners. Our community will have access to this equipment, and the internet, for free, with the help of a wonderful organization called Bibliomist. Bibliomist is responding to a need here in Ukraine by helping small communities like ours to modernize our public libraries. They provide different types of grants and programming and are successfully bringing Ukraine and the Republic of Crimea into the 21st century! If anyone is interested in learning more, check out their site. (It's now in English!)
http://www.bibliomist.org/en/  When I was investigating this great program, the website was in Ukrainian and it was difficult to figure things out and I was forced to call their central offices in Kiev. The response was positive and the people who work there was wonderful. I encourage all PCV's out there to check into this great program!

Thanks to all of you who are following this blog and helping me to assist my community, by giving them the tools they need for a really positive and bright future!