Abstract

Rositsa Krasteva*

This publication presents a short review of the establishment, construction and development of the library network in Bulgaria. It emphasizes on the formation of community centers (chitalishte) and their libraries – a distinctive and democratic Bulgarian institution, which does not exist anywhere else in the world. It presents the current status of the Bulgarian libraries; the modern library system; the legal regulations; the rules and standards applicable to the library activities and processes; the library activities of the public libraries and the services they provide to the consumers; the forms of work with readers. Special attention is paid to the technological innovations and services provided by the Bulgarian libraries nowadays, in order to be a successful mediator in the process of gaining knowledge in the modern information society.