You have a slightly earlier update today, as we finished our visits today at 4 p.m. and some of us have just returned from an excellent Serbian lunch - lunch does tend to be a little bit later here.
We started this morning at the Periodicals building of the Special Collections Department of Belgrade public library, and, as well as receiving a warm welcome, had a good introduction to the workings of the Belgrade public library, which has 70 branches throughout the 19 municipalities that make up Belgrade. We also learned a good deal not just about the periodicals, but also about the difficulties of working in legacy buildings (particularly if you don't occupy the space above or below your stacks) as well as the quirks of having collections begun under certain political conditions that now operate in a different country. Truly fascinating.
Next we moved on to the main public library building itself, and enjoyed a tour of the whole building. As this is a former hotel, rather than a purpose-built library, the staff must deal with all kinds of challenges, but they have many innovative solutions. The students particularly enjoyed exploring the labyrinthine stacks in the basement and the excellent reading rooms. Highlight of the tour was the newly-renovated Roman Hall. When the building was being refurbished in 1986 for the library, they discovered large Roman walls in the basement, which they incorporated into the design of the finished basement - hence the Roman Hall. The Hall has just been renovated (it seems a bit odd to be renovating your 2000-year-old Roman ruins, but it was really the surrounding room that was renovated) and the Roman walls now look stunning. The Hall is used for all kinds of programs, lectures and concerts, and the librarians are delighted that the format of the room is a constant reminder to users of the roman heritage of Belgrade and Serbia.
Our last trip of the day was to the American Embassy. Most of the students had never been to an embassy before, so the whole trip was a very educational experience. We were greeted by the Deputy Chief of Mission (One step below the Ambassador) who spent a good 40 minutes with us, explaining the job of the embassy in general, and the American position of Serbia in particular. We were also joined by Bill Henderson, the director of public affairs, and Jasna Kunic, who is in charge of the 8 American Corners in Serbia. We learned a lot more about the Corners, their function, and their successes, as well as having time to answer all the questions the students had on Serbia, on the Embassy and on working for the State Department.
Much shopping is taking place — I assume you will be the recipients of much of this activity — and students are exploring the central area of Belgrade, with the Green Market being a popular destination.
Everyone is well and becoming adjusted to the time difference.
Tomorrow we have three visits planned - more news on that later.