US embassy cable - 03ZAGREB2670

UNCLAS ZAGREB 002670 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
STATE FOR IIP/T/EUR LAWRENCE SCHWARTZ 
INFO EUR/PD WYN HORBUCKLY 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KPAO, OIIP, HR 
SUBJECT: FY04 U.S. SPEAKER FRANK KURT CYLKE - EVALUATION 
 
1. DESCRIPTION OF ACTIVITY:  EACH YEAR, THE CROATIAN LIBRARY 
 
 
ASSOCIATION HOLDS ROUND TABLE TALKS WHICH FOCUS ON A TOPIC 
OF CURRENT INTEREST. THIS YEAR, THE TALKS WERE DEDICATED TO 
THE ISSUE OF FREE ACCESS TO INFORMATION.  PA ZAGREB BROUGHT 
U.S. SPEAKER  FRANK KURT CYLKE, DIRECTOR OF THE NATIONAL 
LIBRARY SERVICES FOR THE BLIND AND PHYSICALLY HANDICAPPED 
(NLS), U.S. LIBRARY OF CONGRESS, TO BE THE KEYNOTE SPEAKER 
FOR THE EVENT.  CYLKE ALSO SPOKE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF ZAGREB 
AND VISITED THE ASSOCIATION OF THE BLIND DURING HIS VISIT TO 
    ZAGREB. 
 
2. DATE: DECEMBER 9-13, 2003; FY04; QUARTER: 1ST 
 
3. JUSTIFICATION AND OBJECTIVE: THE CROATIAN LIBRARY 
ASSOCIATION'S COMMITTEE FOR FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION AND FREE 
ACCESS TO INFORMATION, IN COOPERATION WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF 
INFORMATION SCIENCES, UNIVERSITY OF ZAGREB, SPONSORED THE 
THIRD ROUND TABLE TALKS WHOSE THEME THIS YEAR WAS "FREE 
ACCESS FOR ALL CITIZENS".  THE COMMITTEE WAS INTERESTED IN 
HAVING AN AMERICAN SPEAKER ON THIS TOPIC BECAUSE OF THE 
U.S.'S EXTENSIVE EXPERIENCE IN THIS FIELD.  POST SOUGHT TO 
REINFORCE THE IDEA, STILL NEW IN CROATIA, THAT ALL CITIZENS 
HAVE THE SAME RIGHT OF ACCESS TO INFORMATION. 
 
4. MPP STRATEGIC GOAL AND AUDIENCE REACHED: MPP GOAL: U.S. 
SOCIETY AND VALUES.  AUDIENCE: OVER 100 CROATIAN LIBRARIANS 
PUBLIC AND SPECIAL LIBRARIES FROM THROUGHOUT CROATIA; STAFF 
AND MEMBERS FROM THE CENTRAL LIBRARY FOR THE BLIND, LIBRARY 
SCIENCE UNIVERSITY STUDENTS AND PROFESSORS. 
 
5. RESULT/IMPACT: EXCELLENT: ON DECEMBER 10, CYLKE DELIVERED 
THE KEYNOTE ADDRESS AT THE "ROUND TABLE TALKS," IN WHICH HE 
SPOKE ABOUT THE IDEA OF FREE ACCESS TO INFORMATION IN 
LIBRARIES FOR USERS WHO ARE BLIND AND/OR PHYSICALLY 
HANDICAPPED.  IN ADDITION, DURING HIS DECEMBER 9-13 VISIT, 
CYLKE ALSO GAVE A LECTURE TO OVER 40 LIBRARY SCIENCE 
UNIVERSITY STUDENTS AND PROFESSORS, IN WHICH HE OUTLINED THE 
SERVICES AND WORKING METHODS OF THE NATIONAL LIBRARY SERVICE 
FOR THE BLIND AND PHYSICALLY HANDICAPPED, AND SPOKE AT THE 
ASSOCIATION FOR THE BLIND AND MET WITH ASSOCIATION 
    REPRESENTATIVES.  THE PRESENTATION OF SUCH EXTENSIVE 
SERVICES AND WIDE ACCESS TO INFORMATION FOR THE BLIND WAS 
NEW TO CROATIANS, ALTHOUGH GOVERNMENT AND EDUCATIONAL 
SUPPORT FOR THE BLIND HAS EXISTED IN CROATIA SINCE THE MID- 
1800'S.  AT ALL VENUES, CYLKE WAS APPROACHABLE AND 
KNOWLEDGABLE, CLEARLY AN EXPERT IN HIS FIELD WHO RELISHES 
HIS PROFESSION.  ALREADY, REPRESENTATIVES FROM OTHER 
COUNTRIES WHO ATTENDED THE ROUND TABLE TALKS HAVE ASKED US 
HOW TO CONTACT HIM, BECAUSE THEY WANT TO INVITE HIM TO SPEAK 
AT THEIR UPCOMING EVENTS. 
 
6. NON USG SOURCES OF IN-COUNTRY FUNDING: THE LIBRARIANS' 
ASSOCATION HOSTED A DINNER. 
 
7. QUALITY AND SUPPORT OF IIP OFFICES INVOLVED: EXCELLENT. 
FRANK 
 
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