Romanian Libraries
Library Development and Personnel Training CDN $ 67,800
reSource are partnering with two seminaries in Romania. The first, the Baptist Theological Institue (BTI) in Bucharest, has two divisions: the traditional Bible College that prepares pastors for leadership in Baptist congregations throughout Romania, and the “faculty of theology” at the University of Bucharest. The latter is one of three theology faculties at the university that provide theological training for those on an academic track (i.e. not oriented towards pastoral or ordained ministry). This is a strong and vibrant program with a qualified faculty, strong links to the academic community in Romania, and fully accredited.
The second, The “ELIM” Evangelical Theological Seminary (EETS) in Timisoara, is a Bible-based Christian educational institution, offering academic instruction, spiritual formation and practical training for pastors, evangelists, missionaries, church planters and teachers of religion, within the context of the Pentecostal Movement in Romania. They are especially focused on outreach, and have several graduates who are involved in the work of church planting. This missions group also includes current students of EETS. This practical aspect of ministry involves ‘missions teams’ who preach in the village churches established by the ELIM Pentecostal Church. They are also actively involved in preaching in the villages of the Timis county, where there are currently no churches established.
The Project
BTI: A major investment is required to assist BTI in an upgrade to the operation of their seminary library. The project will run over a three year period. There are four components to the project:
- Library director training. This training is greatly needed to properly utilize and manage their library resources effectively. This training will be done through the University of Wales.
- Library management software. In its current state, the library system does not adequately support the seminary’s curriculum, or provide sufficient research capabilities for the students.
- Collection development. The current collection requires upgrading to ensure that the students have adequate resources to complete their assignments.
- Facility renovation and upgrading. The current facilities that the library occupies are in need of upgrading.
EETS: This school is in need of collection development for their library.
Estimated Costs:
To date we have raised $ 35,500 for this project, and we are now seeking the remaining $ 32,300.