The professional training of community librarians in Armenia is of great importance in the formation of modern library services. Libraries operating in local communities are not only centers of information and knowledge dissemination but also active platforms for local cultural and public life; therefore, continuous training of specialists in the field is a requirement of the time. To provide professional training courses for librarians, the National Library of Armenia conducts a needs assessment that considers the professional interests and priority themes of community librarians.

On May 11-12, a two-day professional training course was held at the National Library of Armenia with the participation of librarians of community libraries of the Republic of Armenia. The course was attended by librarians from community libraries operating under the jurisdiction of the “Ashtarak Palace of Culture” Non-profit Organization, as well as from the community libraries of Hrazdan. A variety of significant subjects about contemporary library activities were discussed with the attendees. Future-oriented developments in community library development, electronic registration and print collection inventory processes, library privacy issues, and the challenges of implementing library laws and sub-legislative normative acts were all discussed.

Opportunities to utilize the union catalog of Armenian libraries and the databases of the National Library of Armenia in library operations were given particular attention. Experienced specialists from the National Library of Armenia led the classes and facilitated discussions and hands-on activities for the participants. At the end of the training, an evaluation of the results was carried out. Haykanush Ghazaryan, Deputy Director of the National Library of Armenia for Scientific Affairs, presented the participants with certificates of participation in the course.

The participants also visited the National Library of Armenia's Printing Museum at the conclusion of the course, where they learnt about the development of printing culture and the history of Armenian printing.