Emilia Milkova - Member of the Bulgarian Parliament, bibliographer, recently elected as President of the Bulgarian Library and Information Association
When my telephone will rings, I often think and Sneja will call me: “Hello, how is Varna?” - this expression was as a password. I had to say a few words how I feel and the tasks started from here on. Tasks, which she presented in her own way. All colleagues have a memory, something which they want to share, because we have worked together for many years and our joint work has turned into friendship. We became people sharing the same views – a community. The best and the most important are the personal qualities that Sneja possessed. There were no small or big libraries for her. Every library to her was a sacred place; every library was to her as a room in her home – she took care of it. Every colleague in the country had her personal phone number and he/she could call at any time and tell her: “Sneje, we don’t have heating in the library, what can be done?” or “Sneje, we could not buy any books. Would you please phone and speak with the Mayor?” She was the person, who refused help to no one.
She always used to say, “no matter in which town you are, if there is a library, there is a place for you” She is as the Mohican of the librarianship, but not the last of the Mohicans, because we all will continue forward. I am one of those colleagues, who in the early 2002, participated in various specializations because of her initiative, with her assistance, to experience and learn what librarians in other countries do and change our libraries for the better.
I remember one thing that shocked me. When we entered the American Library of Congress after a presentation and a meeting with colleagues from Slavonic manuscripts, their first words as a password were “How is Sneja Ianeva?” And I said to myself: “If people at the Library of Congress ask personally about Sneja Ianeva, then she is really an important person.” At this moment we both were in the first phase of our relationship and I thought: “Oh, Lord, what a great person – and still she pays us a lot of attention!” But in the process of our work together I also found that person had a big heart.
The most important thing, which Sneja kept reminding us about the libraries is (she has told this many times), that “we shouldn’t forget the people who use the libraries. Because it is important the libraries to reach every citizen”. All things, which Sneja did, she did them with a heart and love. She certainly watches us from above and I know that if I if I take the wrong path, 100% her voice will tell me that this is not right. But I believe we like she was, are deeply confident in the fact, that the libraries have a great need of love and knowledge. Based on her legacy, with all she had shown and taught us, we will continue forward….
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