UN-Habitat: Establish an Innovative Space for Learning and Working in the Public Library at Nawfal Palace, Tripoli (Lebanon)

Deadline: 19-Jul-23

The United Nations Human Settlement Programme (UN-Habitat) is seeking applications to strengthen the long-term resilience of subnational authorities in Lebanon as well as host communities, refugees and displaced persons affected by the Syrian Crisis.

Engage the Implementing Partner (IP) to establish an innovative space for learning and working in the public library at Nawfal Palace, Tripoli. The IP is required to submit a proposal covering all aspects of the project to ensure a complete library suite and archiving services as outlined in this ToR. The assignment involves support in implementing a new Integrated Library System in the public library at Nawfal Palace in Tripoli to improve access, quality, and overall usage of the library by the community.

To achieve this, the Project engages in a three-pronged approach: MERP aims to

• strengthen processes, procedures and practices to enable municipalities and Union of Municipalities (UoMs) to deliver effective and efficient services in a transparent and accountable manner;
• empower municipalities and UoMs to facilitate local economic development (LED) and to deliver basic services that address the needs of both host and refugee populations, and;
• support communities to engage in municipal processes and procedures to ensure that municipalities UoMs are responsive to their needs. These objectives include efforts to support the government of Lebanon at national level to strengthen the enabling environment for local governments i.e., municipalities and UoMs, and to better respond to the needs of communities.

Objectives

• The primary objectives of this assignment are:
  • Archive and label existing books: this involves the implementation and customization of an open-source software as the new Integrated Library System-ILS for the library, which meets the library’s needs for cataloging and circulation. The installed system is expected to be user-friendly and accessible to library staff and users, including children. The system will be tested to ensure it meets the library’s needs and requirements.
  • Provide training and support to library staff: This includes building the skills of existing staff on the proper operations and maintenance of the open-source software, ensuring the best use of and a smooth integration of the new system.
  • Raise the awareness of the community on the use of books: the IP is expected to develop communication and awareness raising messages on the use of books that will be adopted and disseminated by the municipality of Tripoli to the public.

Funding Information

• Size of grant: US$ 45,000
• Estimated duration of project: 5 months.

Main Outputs and Activities

• The IP will be undertaking main activities as follows (but not limited to):
  • Output 1: Supply and install an integrated open source library system
    • Activity 1.1: The IP shall submit an assessment report including a site analysis.
    • Activity 2.1: Put in place an open-source software to allow complete automation of the various library operations and activities, starting from core operations for librarians such as cataloguing, classification, circulation and acquisition to the secure automatic circulation operations and the capability to deal with various sources of information through compatibility with international (Z39.50) standard, etc.
    • Activity 3.1: The IP is expected to procure.
  • Output 2: Training of the librarians on the usage of the new installed system
    • Activity 2.1: The IP is expected to propose a detailed agenda of a customized four-day practical training, as well as not less than three coaching sessions for the staff along with guidelines, manuals, and job aid materials for reference.
    • Activity 2.2: The IP is expected to conduct the four-day practical training and three coaching sessions at Nawfal palace premises in close coordination with the municipal empowerment and resilience field coordinator in the North.
  • Output 3: Develop communication and awareness raising messages to the community
    • Activity 3.1: Prepare simple and friendly messages that will be disseminated by the municipality of Tripoli to encourage community members to attend the library and use the books. Messages to be validated by the municipality.
    • Activity 3.2: Propose communication channels to be adopted by the municipality for the dissemination of the developed messages.

Locations

• Town/City: Tripoli – North Lebanon
• Country: Lebanon

Eligibility Criteria

• Legal status
  • Certificate of registration/incorporation i.e.,
  • Proof of registration in Country of Origin.
  • Proof of registration of Country of operation
  • Proof of country operational presence
• Organization profile and details
  • Clear organization profile and structure of the organization indicating:
    • Organization’s vision, mission and objectives
    • Management structure
    • Members of the Governing Board and their Designations duly certified by the Corporate Secretary, or its equivalent document
    • Proof of membership to professional associations if any.
• Financial capacity
  • Audited company financial statements (balance sheet and income statement) and auditors report for the last two years
• Exclusive bank account
  • Is the organization willing and able to have a separate bank account for the funds provided by UN-Habitat?
• Integrity and Governance
  • The organization should complete and submit a signed Partner Declaration Form
  • Provide the profiles of the Chairperson of the Board of Directors, Head of the Organization and Chief of Finance.

For more information, visit UN-Habitat.