In Neamt County, public libraries refuse to 'surrender' to artificial intelligence. Instead, they are adapting, integrating technology into their service menus and reshaping their role in communities that increasingly rely on digital tools. Neamt is, in fact, the only county in Romania to secure two projects for library modernisation and digitalisation through the National Recovery and Resilience Plan.

Mihaela Mereuta, director of the 'G.T. Kirileanu' County Library, told AGERPRES that the projects total about 6.2 million RON and have been implemented in libraries across 45 localities - more than half of the county's administrative units. The county library, an encyclopedic institution, now functions not only as a reading and information centre, but also as a cultural and educational hub, coordinating territorial libraries and digitising special collections.

Yet Neamt still counts around 70 public libraries for 83 localities, despite legal provisions requiring one in each such administrative unit. According to Virgil Cojocaru - coordinator of county libraries and a World Bank-certified master trainer - the gap stems from staffing shortages.

'Buildings and book collections exist, but some local authorities simply do not want to hire librarians. Staff retired or left due to illness, and the positions remained blocked or were not filled,' Cojocaru said.

Even so, most mayors have embraced library development. 'Some mayors gained confidence and saw it can be done. They began supporting initiatives and developing increasingly ambitious projects. Everything depends on local management and how authorities perceive the necessity of a library,' Cojocaru notes.

Reinventing services has also helped rural libraries respond to depopulation and ageing communities. 'We can no longer rely only on traditional book lending. We diversified services and implemented projects covering a wide range of needs - from non-formal and ecological education to digital and IT skills, personal development, entrepreneurship and externally funded programmes,' Mihaela Mereuta explains.

To see how this transformation looks on the ground, the AGERPRES reporter travelled to Tazlau, near the Bacau border. Here, librarian Adriana Boboc was preparing to take eight children to Iasi, to a chess competition - a skill they learned at the local library, which hosts activities for all ages. The 'I.I. Mironescu' Library has become a genuine cultural hub thanks to Adriana Boboc's dedication and the support of mayor Ion Nechita.

'Life is 'infinite' inside a library,' Boboc says. 'In villages, it's the only place where children gather for extracurricular activities. After school hours, they have nowhere else to go. So the library is no longer just a shelf of books - though they do read, and read a lot. Every year we have a book-acquisition budget. Children write down the titles they want, and that's what we buy. We don't purchase books that gather dust; we buy what they want to read.'

The Tazlau library also offers programming courses. Two years ago, local children won first place in the national CODE Kids final. Courses in financial education, chess and guitar are part of the weekly schedule. A recent digital inclusion project through NRRP equipped the library with a 3D printer, tablets, computers, a smart board, a smart camera and a colour multifunction printer. 'One hundred and twenty residents over 16 completed basic digital-skills training. It's an essential step toward using online platforms and government applications,' Boboc says.

Asked about the future of rural libraries in an age of AI, she is unequivocal: 'The library is the future. In summer, how many rural children go to camps or holidays? Almost none. The library comes to their support. We've just won a project called 'The Library in the Park', where we'll organise summer picnics - reading on blankets, doing crafts. We have activities from toddlers to seniors.'

Mayor Ion Nechita shares her optimism: 'Of course libraries have a future, if we adapt and modernise. We must open up to other fields, not remain just a reading space. We connect tradition with technology and artificial intelligence. The key is to create an open, friendly environment where every child and adult finds information, social interaction, reading and personal development.'

A few kilometres away, in Rediu, the contrast is stark: the local library has been closed for more than 15 years. Mayor Vasile Motfolea cites only 'lack of funding'. Pressed on how dozens of other mayors found resources for staff and books, he replies: 'If I don't have money, where should I get a book fund from? I must ensure transport for pupils, teachers, fuel, drivers. Those are the priorities.' As for the remaining books he says: 'They're old. Children won't touch them. They're full of infections.'

Despite such disparities, Mihaela Mereuta remains confident: 'The future of libraries is directly linked to the future of communities. A community grows through education and culture. Our reading rooms are full. Even during the pandemic, adults came to borrow books safely. Modern activities - workshops, digital hubs - always rely on documentary support: reading recommendations and access to printed books. Without the partnership between library, school, administration and family, we could not develop.' AGERPRES (RO - writing by: Gabriel Apetrii; EN - writing by: Simona Klodnischi)