LIBRARIES

The academic libraries network in Romania supports the teaching and research programmes in universities. With the most important documentary base in Romania, about 24 million volumes, this network provides the appropriate means for the academic learning and research process. The national network branches go down to the department level. These libraries, using permanent communication, ensure the national and international exchange of publications.

The international cooperation has increased during the past few years, when the process of updating the Romanian academic system in accordance with the standards of the European Union was initiated.
Among the libraries with the most complex international exchange relationships we can specify the following:

· the "Lucian Blaga" Central Academic Library in Cluj, which has 1652 partners in 72 countries;
· the Central Academic Library in Bucharest, with 1016 partners in 74 countries;
· the "Mihai Eminescu" Central Academic Library in Iasi (870 partners in 68 countries);
· the "Eugen Todoran" Central Academic Library in Timisoara (402 partners in 54 countries).

A special place in the academic libraries network belongs to the Central Academic Library in Bucharest. Founded in 1891 and inaugurated on March 14th, 1895, it offers 110 years of prestige and cultural-scientific continuity in the academic area of Bucharest.

Initially created in accordance with a dominant humanistic trend, the document collections of this library have nowadays an encyclopedic value, which corresponds to a multidisciplinary structure.

The documents archive development depends on the profile of its specific users, interested in further academic education and scientific research. Severely damaged during the 1989 Anti-Communist Revolution, the Central Academic Library in Bucharest was entirely rebuilt from 1990 to 2001.

After its renovation, the Central Academic Library was endowed with (among many facilities) modern reading rooms , thematic collections, access to Internet, data bases and electronic checking for the access at the document sources. The new building, with six floors, has 385 seats for reading. These, together with many other improvements, made the Central Academic Library one of the most modern libraries in Europe.

Nowadays, there exists a programme of digitization, in cooperation with specialized firms of world recognition, so that, in a few years' time, the entire book patrimony will be transferred on electronic format.

All these means of upgrading transformed this space, dedicated to elevated knowledge, into a modern working tool, indispensable for any person that thirsts for intellectual evolution.