Kosovo mission helps municipalities set up and maintain legal libraries
Refik Redenica, a lawyer from Gjilan/Gnjilane, is now a frequent visitor to the municipal building there. He goes to the municipal offices, not to argue with the lawyers or interview the employees, but to use the recently established municipal legal library.
"I run a small law firm," Redenica says, "and being able to access the most recent laws here makes my life a lot easier." Giving an example, Redenica explains that there are a lot of new buildings being constructed, and that many of his clients have questions about how to protect themselves from any potential irregularities in the construction process when signing contracts and purchasing apartments. "It makes a difference if I base my advice on the actual current law when I talk to my clients," he notes.
The legal library in Gjilan/Gnjilane was established in January 2009 as a part of an OSCE Mission in Kosovo project. At the same time, the Mission began setting up legal libraries in 24 other municipalities throughout Kosovo, with the purpose of providing both municipal officials and the public a common access point to legal documents and literature.
Some eight months later, reports Ida Manton of the Mission in Kosovo, who is managing the project, 20 of the libraries are already up and running successfully.
Good examples
As Manton explains, the Mission began by supplying the libraries with a number of legal books and publications, as well as with three-in-one printer/scanner/copy machines. "But crucial to the libraries' functioning is the interest, the will and the capacity of municipalities to provide them with municipal legislation and make them useful for internal purposes as well as for the public," she says, and adds that Gjilan/Gnjilane is a good example.
"When we first started here," says Lulzim Rizahu, the librarian who runs the Gjilan/Gnjilane library, "we also brought in our own personal legal literature in order to make the library useful from day one. As time went on, our colleagues supplied us with materials from their respective departments and things are much better these days."
According to Hizvi Matoshi, head of Gjilan/Gnjilane's municipal legal office, the library now contains all the municipal decrees and relevant laws. "If there is a dilemma or any uncertainty regarding legal issues, people can come to the library, consult the respective law and find the proper information and explanation."
Manton notes that many of the other libraries are also functioning successfully: "Many municipalities are doing well, and each is adapting to its specific needs. The library in Hani i Elezit/General Jankovic [a municipality in southern Kosovo], for example, is merging with the archives department, and they're also doing a very good job."
Providing incentives
To stimulate the people working in the libraries, the Mission has organized two training sessions, one on municipal legislation and one on archiving and record management. As an additional incentive for those who perhaps still lack Matoshi's and Rizahu's enthusiasm, a competition for the best legal library will be held by the end of the autumn.
Gearing up for the competition, Matoshi says that the Gjilan/Gnjilane library has already sent a request for additional books and legal material to a number of local and international organizations, so that they can keep stocking the shelves. "But while we wait for their replies, we are also working on improving the inventory on our own," he adds.
Rizahu is encouraged by the increase in the number of people coming to use their services over the last three months. "It seems that people are starting to see the benefit of consulting legal documents, and business is picking up."
Improved services
With all the steps taken so far, it is to be expected that the services offered by the libraries, both to the general public and to municipal employees, will continue to improve. Manton points out that inhabitants of any municipality should be able to have access to all the documents that impact their daily life, and that legal libraries can do this for them.
Viewing the matter from a different angle, Redenica hopes for more clients as his legal advice improves. "The better you are at offering what people need, the more people come to you," he concludes.