Memory from Maya Petrova

Boyan Penev Regional Library, Razgrad

Blagoevgrad, March 8th, 2004. American University in Bulgaria
First meeting of the participants in an ambitious project for American-Bulgarian library exchange – Snejana Ianeva, Iskra Mihailova, Vanya Grashkina, Anna Popova and 12 young librarians from 12 libraries in our country. This was my first encounter with Mrs. Ianeva, later we just called her Sneja. And it was the beginning of a very long professional collaboration.

This successful project had a tremendous impact on the professional development of all participants and the start of a difficult, long term transformation of the public libraries in Bulgaria. There were countless events, seminars, meetings of our professional community. Her priceless assistance and personal devotion in making it all happen everywhere in the country was truly remarkable.

From right to left: Ambassador John Beyrle, the Mayor of Razgrad Dencho Boyadzhiev, the Director of the Library Miroslava Katsarova and Mrs. Yaneva, 2006.

In Razgrad, thanks personally to Snejana we had two memorable visits to the region. In 2004, five years before the start of Global Libraries Bulgaria program, for the first time a representative of “Bill and Melinda Gates” foundation was present at the creation of the “American Experience for Libraries” Association. In 2006 Ambassador John Byerly visited our library.

In Bulgaria we have a saying “One bird does not bring the Spring”. Sneja proved the “Butterfly effect”. She flapped her wings and caused a tornado in the work of all libraries for the better.