The Biblioteca/Mediateca are two internal sectors of the European Cultural Association of the Joint Research Centre (JRC) of the European Commission (EC) located at the Ispra site and are available to its ordinary members for cultural purposes in accordance with the Statute and the Internal Rules.
The specific purposes of the two sectors are the following:
- the Biblioteca allows the free use of books, albums and magazines;
- the Mediateca allows the free use of musical CDs, DVDs, LPs and films (on DVDs or VHS-tapes);
Location and opening hours
Ispra site, building 1, first floor, entrance from outside the JRC
Monday, from 9:00 to 12:30
Thursday, from 9:00 to 12:30
Contact
Associazione Culturale Europea (ACE)- TP 014
Via Enrico Fermi, 2749 – 21027 Ispra (VA) – Italy
E-mail: info@associazione-culturale-europea.eu
Terms of free use of the above articles
- For the free use of the above articles, an annual membership of the related sector is requested (see annual management document with registration fees and application rules).
- The maximum number of articles of the same sector in free use at a given time is 5 for each member. A disc album with 5 or more discs is counted as 5 articles.
- The fixed free use duration for an article is normally 1 week, except for books and language courses which can be kept 4 weeks.
- In case of late return, you will be charged with a penalty of € 1.50 for each article and each extra week (or fraction).
- The maximum penalty is € 15.00 for each article.
- If you are late in returning or in debt for penalties, you cannot ask for other material of the related sector, as long as your position is not regularized.
- In case of loss/damage of an article you will be asked to refund the whole cost of replacement (min. 15 €).
Please note that holidays are added to the allowed time of free use.
Membership
Members described as Internal under the rules of COPAS
- Staff on any type of contract and pensioners of the European Commission services
- Immediate family members of the above ( recognised partners and children up to the age of 26 )
Members described as External under the rules of COPAS can be accepted up to a maximum number of one less than the number of internal members.
The following types of external members can be accepted by the Membership secretary, without a specific decision of the Consiglio, always provided the number does not exceed the above limit imposed by COPAS.
- Any person who is renewing an existing membership ( eg ex -members of JRC staff )
- Any person with a red external entrance Tessera to the JRC Ispra site ( eg intramural contractor staff of all types, language teachers etc, etc )
- Any person who is a staff member at the European School of Varese
- Any person who is the parent of a current pupil at the European School of Varese
In addition other people can apply for membership on invitation by any existing member, and will be considered for a final decision by the Consiglio.
Access to payed-events organised by the “ Events for Members “ Sector is only for Members of the association. For access to the library and disc collections the immediate family of Members are also allowed access and can borrow materials . Events organised locally by other sectors are freely open without payment to the public at large.
Children over 16 can become Members of association , obviously with appropriate authorisation of their parents in the case of minors.
Exceptionally members can invite guests to individual Events for Members with the agreement of the President. Such guests must be close personal friends or relatives temporarily visiting the member rather than work colleagues or other friends living locally. A Member’s children can also be invited as guests to appropriate events.
All members pay 30 euros annually being the minimum specified by COPAS.
Person in charge
The person in charge of each sector is elected during the general elections of the Comitato Culturale by the all statutory staff of the Ispra site (Art. 3 of the Statute).
The main tasks of the person in charge are the following:
- He/she is responsible for the functioning and efficiency of the sector, ensuring the good management of the free use of material (books/discs/films) with the support of volunteers.
- He/she is the owner (together with the treasurer) of the bank account headed to the respective sector.
- He/she takes care of the financial management of his sector with the observance of the financial regulations of the JRC and he will check the financial balance of his sector to be compatible with COPAS criteria (Art. 11 of the Statute).
- He/she takes advice of the consultation group, consisting mainly of the volunteers, for the definition of choices related to the cultural program and the purchases of the sector (Art. 4 & 12 of the Statute).
- He/she will prepare the editing of the annual report describing the cultural actions performed and COPAS credits consumed. This report will be sent to the president and the treasurer
Volunteers and consultation group
The nomination of volunteers and members of the consultation group is under the direct responsibility of the person in charge for each sector (Art.12 of the Statute).
The main tasks of the volunteers in each sector are as follows:
- They are in charge of the daily management of the sector, participate to the cultural initiatives of the sector during the consultation group meetings and collaborate to the sector programme execution. Regular meetings within each sector are desirable.
- They collaborate during the opening hours to the running of the sector, dealing with the giving out and picking up of material for free use, checking also any material damage.
- They deal with catalogue updating, including suggestions for new purchase in the dat a base, informing the person in charge of any correction/cancellation/withdrawing or loss of material and of any payment/expense in relation with the purchases.
- They collaborate free of payment and in agreement with these internal rules.
Harmonised procedures and approval
Harmonized procedures for issuing of membership card, payment of registration fees and free use of material should be followed in accordance with the Statute and the Internal Rules.
In particular, the following rules apply:
- Any change or improvement of the procedures will be prepared by the president and approved by the board.
- The treasurer will collect all the contributions to the annual report in order to be presented and approved collegially at the next meeting of the board, before sending it to the COPAS secretary (Art. 16 of Statute).
- The person in charge will archive the documentation related to the financial management and the bank account of his/her sector and will be asked to show those at any request of the board or the treasurer.
- The reimbursement of expenses supported by the sector volunteers for the authorized purchases will be executed by the person in charge against invoices and documents approved by the treasurer.
- The agreement of the person in charge is compulsory for commitments related to specific expenses (i.e. publications, distribution of announcement and posters, post office and telephone bills) which are charged to the Ispra site (see JRC financial regulation).
- The internal website will present the main activities of the Comitato Culturale, including the list of all the elected members and the nominated volunteers. It will be regularly updated, including calendars and catalogues of each sector. On-line consultation of the main catalogues (Biblioteca / Discoteca / Videoteca) is promoted.
- The public closure of the sectors, during the summer and winter holidays, is announced by the secretary after agreement with the individual sectors.
Protection of personal data and contact
The collected personal data are processed in compliance with the Regulation (EC) n. 45/2001. Any request of information should be addressed to the person in charge of each sector or to the secretary of the Comitato Culturale (see privacy statement).