Bacău County Council has completed a project to transform public libraries across the county into digital skills hubs under Romania’s National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR), following an investment worth nearly RON 11.84 million.
The announcement was made by Bacău County Council President Cristina Breahnă-Pravăț, who said the project was implemented in just nine months despite its complexity and tight implementation schedule.
Under the project, 12 libraries located in the municipalities and communes of Bacău, Onești, Slănic Moldova, Filipeni, Parincea, Săucești, Scorțeni, Solonț, Stănișești, Oncești, Ungureni and Zemeș were renovated and modernized, becoming digital skills development hubs.
In addition, 37 other libraries across the county received new IT equipment to improve public access to technology and digital training services.
The investment included the purchase of around 800 desktop computers and laptops, as well as tablets, interactive displays, video conferencing systems, 3D printers, robotics equipment, virtual reality devices and other educational technologies.
According to the County Council, 49 librarians completed training courses organized by the World Bank, while 2,695 residents have already participated in basic digital skills programmes, with the initiative primarily targeting communities with limited access to digital services.
The total value of the project amounted to RON 11,834,493.14, financed through the National Recovery and Resilience Plan under the Digital Transformation component. Bacău County Council contributed RON 265,000, excluding VAT.
County officials said the investment will help transform local libraries into modern community centres where residents of all ages can access educational resources, digital technologies and training programmes aimed at improving digital literacy.
