PROJECT «UNIVERSITY OF ENVIRONMENTAL KNOWLEDGE» AS PART OF EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES OF ODESA NATIONAL SCIENTIFIC LIBRARY

One of the effective levers in solving environmental and socio-economic problems of modern Ukraine is educational work in the field of ecology, raising the level of environmental education and the formation of environmental awareness and culture. Libraries play an important role in the system of public institutions that ensure the right of citizens to environmental information. The availability of libraries and appropriate information resources, the introduction of modern technologies as well as qualified personnel allow them to become an irreplaceable partner of society and the state in the field of environmental education. An important component of environmental education of Odesa National Scientific Library is the formation of thematic resources (traditional and electronic) and ensuring free access to them for users. The library provides information support to the educational process and research activity of students, graduates, researchers of higher educational institutions of the country. It also actively works in the direction of knowledge spreading on environmental protection; develops and improves new forms of cooperation with state and public environmental organizations; introduces innovative forms of individual and mass work on environmental education. One of the striking innovative projects, implemented by the library, is the project «University of Environmental Knowledge». During 10 years of project activity (2001‑2011) 106 meetings of the University were organized and held, as well as a number of thematic forums, scientific conferences, round tables, publishing projects, exhibitions of new literature, thematic reviews on ecology and more. The events were attended by more than 12 thousand visitors – students, graduates, professionals working in the field of ecology, members of environmental NGOs, people who are not indifferent to environmental issues. This strengthened the ability of ONSL to act as a powerful information center on environmental issues and made ONSL one of the important parts in solving environmental problems in Odesa Region and Southern Ukraine.