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The contacts and conversations between representatives of the Colorado Library Association, USA and the Union of Librarians and Information Services Officers, Bulgaria for further cooperation began in August 1999.

The backgrounds for the initiative are:

• Bulgarian librarians are dedicated professionals seeking to improve their ability to deliver library service to work now to develop a civil society in Bulgaria.
• Bulgarian libraries are suffering financially from the depressed Bulgarian economy.
• Bulgarian library budgets have been cut and they have difficulty purchasing new library materials or periodical subscriptions.
• The Bulgarian Union of Librarians and Information Specialists is currently attempting to pass national legislation to delineate the status and support of Bulgarian libraries, and is interested in sharing information about library law.
• Bulgarian libraries have a rich tradition of publishing bibliographies, indexes, and information about Bulgaria in both Bulgarian and English.
• Current information about Bulgaria is difficult to obtain outside of Bulgaria.
• Colorado libraries lack up-to-date information about Bulgaria, particularly since the end of Communism.
• There are opportunities for librarians from Bulgaria to contribute to Colorado libraries and opportunities for librarians from Colorado to contribute to Bulgarian libraries.

Therefore Resolutions have been made as following:

The Bulgarian Union of Librarians and Information Specialists and the Colorado Library Association become partner organizations in the sharing of resources and information between Bulgarian and Colorado libraries and librarians.

There are no automatic financial obligation on the part of either Library Association, but rather any cooperative project include a budget for that project and the source of supporting funds.

A regular communication is established between the Colorado Library Association and the Bulgarian Union of Librarians and Information Specialists through various methods of sharing information.

One or more liaisons have to be appointed each year by each Association to facilitate communication and resource sharing among the two Associations and the libraries they represent.

Particular steps for moving the Project forward and matching the Colorado and Bulgarian libraries have been made.

The Colorado Library Association/Bulgarian Library Association Partner Library Project received recognition from the U.S. National Commission on Libraries and Information Science and Sister Cities International in December 1999, as a Sister Library Project.

The goal of Sister Libraries is for public and school libraries in the United States to part with other libraries worldwide, focusing initially on programs specifically planned for children and teenagers. Selected libraries will:

• be encouraged to participate through discussion;
• enable the social interaction between participants and staff of both libraries;
• link together to provide opportunities for active interaction among the library community;
• become an integral part to global understanding in the participating communities and provide opportunities for the youth of today to understand culture, history, traditions, education and training in the selected sites.