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Purpose. The aim of the paper is to emphasize the importance of the participation of library technicians in continuous informal education of librarians in the fi eld of communication skills. Approach. The fi rst part of the paper examines the theoretical foundations of librarian education in the fi eld of communication skills and their impact on organizational culture. Special attention is given to the particularities of communication in the reference and information service in public libraries but also within a network of public libraries. Authors suggest that there is a need for education in the fi eld of emotion management. The second part of the paper presents how the trainings were organized, specifi cally targeting library technicians from the Zagreb City Libraries. These involved two cycles of communication skills workshops focused on confl ict and crisis situations and stress management, and a one-time training on assertive communication and the eZaKi application. Final part of the paper provides recommendations for organizing continuous informal education for librarians in communication skills, based on theoretical foundations and practical experiences. Results. The results of the evaluation showed a high level of participant satisfaction with the organization and implementation of trainings, the value of experience exchange and learning during the workshops, the strengthening of community and awareness of organizational culture, as well as the need for continuity in the implementation of similar workshops. Practical implications. The description of the organization, implementation and evaluation of communication skills workshops can serve as an example of good practice in the informal education of library staff and as an incentive for other libraries to organize similar workshops....Originality. The paper is the fi rst in Croatian professional library literature to present an example of the professional development practice for library technicians in the fi eld of communication skills. The need for education in emotion management while working in the reference and information service is also indicated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. The aim of this paper is to gain insight into changes in information needs and habits of users of the online reference service Ask the Librarians provided by Croatian public libraries since 2004. Methodology. Based on the research of Jagoda Ille and Helena Novak and the analysis of user information queries in the fi rst four years of service implementation from 2004 to 2008, an analysis of posted information inquiries was conducted from 2018 to 2022. By using the same methodology and time frame, the aim was to enable a comparative analysis of the obtained data regarding users' level of education, the number and type of information inquiries (divided into four categories: requests for direction, quick or factual information, bibliographic information and other inquiries), user satisfaction and the number of librarians involved in the service. Results. The research results for the period from 2018 to 2022 indicated a higher number of posted inquiries, a change in the educational structure of users and a change in the type of inquiries compared to the fi rst four years of service implementation from 2004 to 2008, as well as a constant increase in the number of librarians involved in the online reference service Ask the Librarians. Originality/Value. The value of the research lies in detecting changes in information inquiries and new information needs of users of the Croatian public libraries' online reference service Ask the Librarians, available to users since 2004. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. The aim of this paper is to highlight the attitudes and motivation of librarians to work in reference and information services, as well as the causes of their satisfaction or dissatisfaction with this specifi c work in an important user service. Approach/Methodology. The research was conducted in two large libraries, the National and University Library in Zagreb and the City Library of Zagreb. Both libraries have librarians who perform specialized tasks and dedicated organizational unit dealing with reference and information service work. These libraries diff er in their tasks and users, as well as in their functional, organizational and other characteristics. The research involved current and former librarians who performed or still perform reference and information service tasks. About twenty (20) librarians from each library participated in the research and the survey method was used. Results. The paper provides an overview of research results on the reasons for working in the reference and information service, as well as leaving that job, and the attitudes towards this work. The results indicate divided opinions among librarians regarding work in the information service, particularly between those who left voluntarily and those who chose to stay. These attitudes diff er in their views on the professional value of the work in the reference and information service and the work engagement of librarians in it. Most respondents agree that this job should be performed by competent individuals with high professional qualifi cations, although more simple user inquiries can be handled by less qualifi ed individuals trained to work with users. Additionally, some respondents who left believe that the job does not involve much work, while the majority of those still working consider it to be a job that requires a lot of work. Practical implications. The research results enable library managers to gain insight into the motivation of librarians working in the reference and information service. The paper contributes to a better understanding of the reasons behind those who want to leave this type of work and those who want to continue working in it.....Originality/Value. The value of this work lies in the fact that, for the fi rst time in the Croatian librarian community, a survey investigates the motivation of librarians reference and information service tasks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The previous year was marked by the challenges imposed by the covid-19 pandemic and epidemiological measures that significantly hindered the regular functioning of all segments of our life and work. Libraries around the world have closed their doors to limit virus transmission and preserve human health. What hasn’t stopped and shut down is finding ways to preserve users and provide key services. Librarians have strengthened and focused on their essential role of serving the public, acting responsibly and reinforcing their unwavering commitment to, more than ever, providing users with the infrastructure to openly access information, collections, and meet the new demands of their community. The aim of this paper is to look at the position and functioning of public libraries during the coronavirus pandemic, with special emphasis on the activities of the “Bora Stanković” Library in Vranje. Vranje librarians overcame the new challenges and, despite the unenviable situation, adjusted their programs to the “new normality”, continued to provide their services, and successfully implemented content, among which the most important is certainly the implementation of the Biblionet 2020 in our city.

Purpose. The aim of the paper is to analyze the participation and satisfaction with training courses for the application of the LAM Code that were held from 2018 to 2022 within the Training Center for Continuing Professional Development of Librarians in Croatia (CSSU). In addition, the paper provides an analysis of the attendance of regional workshops (held independently of the CSSU) on the topic of the application of the LAM Code. The workshops were organized by the Working Group for Education of The Standing Committee for the Development and Maintenance of the LAM Code in cooperation with the main public libraries and the Advisory Council of Museum and Documentation Center. Approach/methodology/design. The paper analyzes data on the training courses for the application of the LAM Code, more precisely the topics, formats, duration, number of participants, and the results of evaluation questionnaires, i.e. the satisfaction of the participants with educational content and lecturers and applicability of training courses in the workplace. Findings. During the five-year period, the majority of librarians, but also a significant number of attendees from archives and museums, participated in the training on the LAM Code. By holding training courses online and making webinar recordings publicly available from 2020, wide availability of educational content has been made possible. The participants expressed an excellent level of satisfaction with the quality of lecturers and educational content, and a very high level of satisfaction with the applicability of education in the workplace. By holding regional workshops, the practical application of the LAM Code was brought to the wider professional community. Research limitations/implications. From 2018 to 2020, the participants from archives and museums were not offered the option of choosing their own type of institution when applying and the category named "Other" was provided for them. However, the subsequent analysis revealed that some of the aforementioned participants were placed in the "Special Libraries" category (based on self-registration). Therefore, for the purpose of this paper, these participants were subsequently separated into separate categories according to the type of institution they come from. Practical implications. The results presented in this paper will be taken into consideration when planning new CSSU education programs in the context of cataloging and bibliographic control as well as new educational activities for the application of the LAM Code in general. Originality/value. The paper presents trends in the field of professional development of experts from libraries, archives and museums on application of the Code for Description and Access to Resources in Libraries, Archives, and Museums. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The paper aims to identify appropriate structura l elements for writing annotations intended for young adults. We also wanted to identify if there are any differences between the annotations from the guides for reading quality youth books and the annotations from the portal Dobreknjige.si. Approach/methodology/design: For the purposes of this research the content method was used. Sixty annotations for young adults from the guides for reading quality youth books and sixty annotations from the portal Dobreknjige.si were included in the research. The coding scheme consisted of fourteen structural elements. They were divided into sentences and then the corresponding structural element or elements were assigned to each sentence. Findings: The annotations included in the research on average contained six structural elements. Most commonly, the annotations included the following structural elements: description of the literary work, characters, theme, circumstances of the origin of the literary work and other features related to the work, evaluation, and author. The differences between annotations from the guides and those from the web portal manifested mainly in the length of the annotations. Research limitations/implications: The research was limited only to annotations prepared by librarians. Practical implications: The findings of the research will be useful for librarians who publish annotations on the portal Dobreknjige.si, as well as for writing guides for reading quality youth books. Social implications: The annotations are also important because, among other things, they represent one of the ways in which we can present the world of literature to young adults or other interested public. Originality/value: The paper offers valuable insights into weather annotations should be adapted to certain types of readers, and is it possible to have a standardized form of annotations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Library of the Academy of Music of the University of Zagreb keeps a particularly valuable collection of personal papers – personal documents, manuscripts and other archives created and collected by local musicians, conductors, music teachers and music historians during the performance of their duties. In many cases, those materials came into the Library’s possession as a part of private donations and legacies. Recently, the librarians at the Library of the Academy of Music have started to arrange and describe those materials according to the principles of archival arrangement and description, and so far the personal papers of Theo Tabaka, Ivan Pinkava, Petar Dumičić and Zinka Kunc (Milanov) have been processed. The purpose of this paper is to point out the significance and value of such materials and to provide a brief overview of the contents of the personal papers processed so far. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We sketch the processes of understanding music as a set of phenomena intricately involved with the IT practices of music retrieval within the Slovenian research community from the three basic perspectives: ethno-/musicological, librarian (essential when approaching music computationally), and IT. The article assesses what these perspectives have brought to the understanding of music and suggests that the three addressed perspectives are not arbitrary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose. The paper presents the research that sought to gain insight into the present condition and status of the county legal deposit, the application of the Provisions of the Legal deposit (NN 66/2020) and examine whether there is a need for a revision of the aforementioned Provisions concerning the collections in which the county legal deposit has to be deposited. Methodology. The research was conducted by using the survey questionnaire method anonymously in an online form in the period from 4 to 13 October, 2021. The questionnaire was intended exclusively for county public libraries in the Republic of Croatia. It consisted of 14 questions, some of which could be answered by multiple choice. The authors investigated the respondents' familiarity with the applicable regulations related to the county legal deposit, their knowledge about the material the libraries receive through the legal deposit and the procedures used, whether the libraries include these copies in the library collection, and the conditions under which the material is made available to users. Furthermore, the questionnaire examined the opinion of the respondents on the county legal deposit concerning the building of the collections, cataloguing, and storing the material, as well as obligations of the publishers, and questions concerning the county legal deposit in the context of the local history collections. The last question was the only optional and open-ended one and served as a place where the respondents could leave additional comments. Findings. The results indicate that the respondents are familiar with the current legal regulations related to the county legal deposit. Almost all libraries receive legal deposit copies of various types of materials, but at the same time the librarians point out the challenges in dealing with some publishers who do not fulfil the obligation to deliver the county legal deposit. For this reason, they emphasize the need to educate all parties involved in the procedure with the county legal deposit - from publishers to libraries. The county legal deposit is included in library collections - sometimes completely, sometimes according to a librarian's assessment. According to the research, the county legal deposit enriches library collections, the users ask librarians for these materials and use them. However, the conditions of their use vary - from the use in the library space to regular borrowing. However, there is a disagreement of the respondents regarding the inclusion of the county legal deposit in the local history collections. Originality/value. The results of the research can serve as a starting point in finding possible solutions for challenges that the county public libraries meet in dealing with all those engaged in the county legal deposit procedure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose. This paper aims to present the results of a research on the sustainability of the crowdfunding model for scholarly Open Access (OA) books from the perspective of libraries. Librarians' motivations to financially support publishing of scholarly OA books via crowdfunding are examined, with the focus on identifying the challenges librarians are currently facing and any additional factors that contribute to their decisions to participate in crowdfunding initiatives. Methodology. The research was conducted through an anonymous online survey consisting of 9 questions. Two questions focused on the institutional role of librarians in the context of OA services and the disciplinary focus of their institution, while the other 7 questions focused on their reasons for participation/non-participation in crowdfunding initiatives and their perceptions of the challenges of publishing scholarly books OA. The questionnaire was constructed in the context of the main research question (What factors contribute to the sustainability of crowdfunding models?), which is further specified by several sub-questions (1. What are the main reasons for librarians' participation in crowdfunding models?; 2. What global and local factors do librarians consider crucial for the sustainability of the crowdfunding model for OA books?; 3. What are currently the biggest challenges with OA book publishing according to librarians?). Findings. This study revealed that librarians believe in OA as a fundamental principle, despite existing obstacles and challenges. The research sharpens the picture compared to previously published papers because it has identified the importance of the OA principle as a key factor in the decision to support OA in relation to a specific business model, i.e., when it comes to the crowdfunding model and when it comes to academic books. The research has also found that local data on the use of academic OA books are not crucial for deciding on the participation of libraries in crowdfunding initiatives, while the author's affiliation and disciplinary orientation of books published OA have a greater impact on librarians' propensity to support crowdfunding models. Limitations. The research instrument (online survey) could not check whether the respondents answered the questions exclusively in the context of OA books. It can be assumed that some respondents may have answered questions about OA books based on their experiences with OA business models in the context of OA journals, while the emphasis in this research is exclusively on OA books, and specifically on the crowdfunding model (this was clearly communicated to all participants). Originality/value. Although there is a lot of research on the impact of OA, especially on the impact and sustainability of scholarly journals published OA, very few studies focus on how scholarly OA books are funded, and particularly on innovative funding initiatives involving libraries and involving crowdfunding. This research deepens the understanding of the crowdfunding model in the context of scholarly books published OA and reveals the key factors contributing to its sustainability from librarians' perspective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose. The aim of this research is to determine the attitudes and experiences of librarians employed in public libraries about the role of public libraries in dealing with information disorder and COVID-19 disinfodemic. Approach/methodology/design. For the purposes of the research, an online questionnaire with closed and open questions was used. The questionnaire was distributed to all Croatian public libraries. Findings. The results of the research have shown that the respondents, librarians employed in public libraries, are overwhelmingly interested in the information disorder issues and are open to additional education. However, almost half of the respondents rated their competencies for organizing and implementing a disinformation education program as low. The vast majority of respondents agree with the statement that public libraries should get involved and can greatly contribute to dealing with information disorder, but the attitudes about specific ways and responsibilities in dealing with information disorder show discrepancies. The respondents' opinions on the key obstacles to involving public libraries in dealing with the information disorder point to fifteen specific problems, including librarians' lack of education, the desire to preserve the perception of the library as an ideologically neutral place, lack of user interest, and various infrastructural problems. Originality/value. This paper presents attitudes of the librarians in the Republic of Croatia on the role of public libraries in the information disorder. The paper raises questions about the challenges of active involvement of public libraries in countering information disorder, among which are the professional competencies of librarians and ethical principles of providing information services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2020, two devastating earthquakes hit the area of the City of Zagreb and Sisak-Moslavina County. On that occasion, numerous historical buildings in which cultural and educational institutions have been placed were damaged. Due to the safety of employees and users, libraries within the institutions (schools, museums, etc.) were temporarily closed. Many librarians were affected by the quake in their private lives, too - some of them lost their homes, some had to move temporarily out of the damaged buildings, houses, and flats, or take care of the safety of their families. At the same time, at work, in their libraries, they did not have regular working conditions. An additional challenge was restoring library buildings, protecting the material, and returning the libraries to a functional state, all in the circumstances of the prescribed epidemiological measures due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Extraordinary circumstances caused by the pandemic and earthquakes have also affected the services provided to the users by the different types of libraries. Only in 2020, due to the impossibility of visiting libraries in person, did users recognize the importance and usefulness of virtual services that were available earlier as well. The paper describes the categorization of the damage caused to buildings in which some libraries operated, the work of librarians in special circumstances, and the adaptation of existing as well as the development of new library services. Significant professional assistance and support to librarians in the earthquake-affected areas have continuously been provided by the Croatian Institute of Librarianship, which operates at the National and University Library in Zagreb, as well as by professional library associations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Sociology & Space / Sociologija i Prostor is the property of Institut za drustvena istrazivanja u Zagrebu (Institute for Social Research of Zagreb) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Goal. The aim of the paper is to acquaint the general public, and especially the library community, with the programs of the Green Library of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences in Zagreb, realized in the period from 2018 to 2021. The programs empha size the importance of acquiring skills and knowledge on environmental issues through developing awareness of environmental protection and sustainable development. Approach. This paper will explain the theoretical and practical application of green programs in academic libraries on the example of the Library of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences in Zagreb. Furthermore, it will analyze the ways in which the programs designed to protect the environment and promote sustainable development of society can be implemented into programs of other higher education and academic libraries. Results. The paper presents different ways of educating users about the importance of sustainable development and environmental protection in the period from March 2018 to March 2021. The work of the Faculty Green library is also recognized in the international professional community: the Library of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences in Zagreb is the first Croatian library marked on IFLA's page SDG Stories Map - IFLA Map of the World. Practical use. The Green Library of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences organizes activities aimed at protecting the environment and encouraging the sustainable development of society. The study programs of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences provide numerous opportunities to include the green topics in the form of open teaching in cooperation with the scientific, teaching, and non-teaching staff of the Faculty, as well as with the scientists from other institutions and faculties, and with other institutions and associations dealing with related topics. Social significance. The goal of all these activities is to increase awareness about sustainable development and society. Encouraging and raising awareness of issues related to green topics affect the personal development of program participants by raising awareness of the necessity to protect the environment. Close cooperation between librarians, professors, students and external associates enables faster and better implementation of this knowledge in everyday life. The activities of the Green Library of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences can encourage other libraries to implement green topics in the new programs useful to the local community. Originality. The originality of the Green Library program of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, which has a social and humanistic orientation, originates from the desire to recognize the enormous potential of green topics. Green themes represent a bridge between the social and natural sciences. They are connected in a unique way in a socio-humanistic context, thus emphasizing to what extent man is connected to nature through beliefs, customs, literature, and language. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Goal: The paper seeks to point out and discuss the possibilities of using smartphones in libraries, with special reference to the existing Croatian library applications. Methodology: The research is based on literature review and an overview of the achievements in the use of smartphones in Croatian public libraries. Results: The fact that smartphones have become an important factor in our everyday lives was recently confirmed by a survey conducted by Ipsos in 2018 for Huawei which states that 70% of respondents take their smartphones with them even when they briefly leave their apartments. The digital world is enveloping us and is taking an increasing part of our days and lives, so the librarians are also making more and more use of the possibilities of digital technologies in their daily work in order to provide the highest quality service to their patrons. The librarians' slogan "to be where the users are" certainly applies to smartphones and mobile library services. In this paper, we try to briefly discuss the possibilities of using smartphones in practice, with special reference to the existing Croatian library applications. Social significance: The author points out the advantages of smartphones in offering new services to users of Croatian public libraries. Originality: Prior to this paper, there have not been papers in Croatian professional literature presenting in one place a systematic review of smartphones and their use in public libraries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This paper presents various methods of evaluation of library collections and points out their advantages and disadvantages, as well the situations in which a certain method is usually applied. Library collections make the foundation of library services and therefore must be of high quality and continuously evaluated in relation to user needs. This paper gives overview of methods and techniques used for evaluation of library collections with the goal to make this necessary segment of evaluation in libraries easier for librarians. It is necessary to point out at this place that the paper focuses on the evaluation methods and techniques of the traditional library materials. Methodology/approach: The paper analyses various methods and techniques for evaluation of library collections. Results: The analysis of various methods and techniques has revealed that there is no ideal or uniquely appropriate approach for evaluation and that the best way is to use the combination of several (qualitative and quantitative) methods. Research limitations: The paper presents a selected set of most frequently used methods and techniques for evaluation, whereas those less frequently used methods are left out from this review. Originality/practical implications: Evaluation of library collections is an extremely effort- and time-consuming task, which librarians perform reluctantly and rarely. At the same time, the evaluation results are of extreme importance for the perception of quality of the library and the evaluation itself should be carried out continuously and regularly. This paper is expected to bring the topic of evaluation of library collection closer to librarians and motivate them to perform more frequent activities in this direction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose. The paper provides a bibliography of scientific and professional papers of Croatian authors on the education of information professionals in three branches of information and communication sciences: archives and documentation, librarianship, and museology. The aim of the paper is to provide quantitative and qualitative insights into Croatian scientific and professional production in the mentioned areas and to indicate its importance in the establishment of the field of information sciences in Croatia. Methodology. In order to find the relevant papers on the subject the following sources have been searched: the Croatian Scientific Bibliography, Hrčak - Portal of Scientific Journals of the Republic of Croatia, the catalog of the National and University Library of Zagreb, the bibliographic, citation and full text databases in the field of social sciences available through the Electronic Source Portal for the Croatian Academic and Scientific Community, and finally the Google Scholar search engine. In an effort to keep the bibliography as complete as possible, the lists of literature in the identified works were also searched, and for this reason, the bibliography can be considered to be made de visu. The collected bibliography entries were analyzed from the quantitative and qualitative perspectives as well as by the authorship, types of papers, and language. Findings. The quantitative analysis showed that the first papers appeared in the early 1950s, and that even then much thought was given to the education of information professionals. This interest intensified in the mid-1980s and has not faded since then, but rather has grown. The largest number of papers appeared in the first decade of the 21st century. The reasons should probably be found not only in the rapid development of information and communication technologies but also in the introduction of the Bologna process into the Croatian higher education institutions, and the consequent adaptations and changes that had to be made in the curriculum and education of information professionals. The qualitative analysis has shown that a large number of papers were devoted to this topic. More than half of the papers were co-authored by two or more authors, which indicates good professional cooperation between the members of the Croatian professional and scientific community dealing with the issues of education of information professionals. The fact that a relatively large number of papers was presented at foreign conferences, and that a significant number of papers was written in English, indicate the importance of the contribution of Croatian authors to the understanding of this issue at the global level. Originality/value. The thematic bibliography of this type has not been made before. The paper is also a stimulus for a new generation of scientists and experts to further explore the topic of education of information professionals who should constantly work on their professional development and learn how to adapt to new information and communication technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose. The aim of the article is to present the challenges and solutions the librarians face while curating a book exhibition in the academic library. Based on practical experience, a model for creating exhibitions in academic libraries will be offered. Approach/methodology. The article provides an extensive overview of conceptual and practical activities performed by the Central Medical Library while setting up and curating the book exhibition on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the University of Zagreb School of Medicine, i.e. the library's home institution. Based on the experience gained during staging of the exhibition, and scholarly and professional publications, a model proposal for developing a concept for exhibitions curated in academic libraries will be outlined. Findings. The article offers a proposal for a model for creating and working on exhibitions in libraries. The proposed model will provide librarians as authors of exhibitions with a foundation for planning and a framework for staging book exhibitions in academic and other types of libraries Originality/value. The discussion on the role of academic librarians as authors of exhibitions (librarian-curator), with a special emphasis on the exhibiting of books, was initiated. In addition, the need for new research and professional papers on the mentioned topic, especially in the local Croatian context, was recognised. The value of this article is in presenting a model for creating an exhibition concept designed specifically for exhibitions held in academic libraries. The model consists of a detailed program and organizational plan for staging of exhibitions. The purpose of the aforementioned model is to provide the librarians who are already engaged in setting up exhibitions, as well as new library professionals, with the support in designing and implementing exhibition projects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose. The aim of the paper is to acquaint librarians, but also the wider community, about the valuable books from the Library of the Faculty of Kinesiology. Approach/methodology/design. In the selection of books, we relied on the Guidelines for the Selection of Material for Digitization. Results. The path of identifying and selecting valuable material is described. Although the selected titles do not meet all the criteria for selecting material for digitization, the characteristics which contribute to the historical, cultural, and content value and have special significance for the institution are described. Social implications. The attention of the librarians and related professions, kinesiologists, but also the general public, is brought to the valuable books from the library of the Faculty of Kinesiology in Zagreb. Originality / value. Considering that the number of scientific papers on sports publishing is very small, we wanted to present, in more detail, some of the titles from this area of publishing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Goal. The paper is based on a research of cultural differences in modern multicultural society. The goal of the research was to investigate public libraries' role and potential in promotion of intercultural values in the Croatian plural society. Methodology. The part of the research presented in this paper was conducted by a survey. The total of 177 responses were obtained through the online survey from the librarians with bachelor's or master's degrees employed in Croatian public libraries. The results were analyzed using the descriptive and inferential statistics method. The main research question was: What are the public libraries' potentials for promoting intercultural values, with the research hypothesis that the existing potentials are not sufficiently used. Results. The research results show the awareness and sensitivity of the librarian community to the cultural needs of the Croatian citizens. It is also evident that libraries are places for realisation of these needs. Public libraries recognise their role as an important stakeholder in multicultural society and see the promotion of multicultural and intercultural values as one of the key roles of public librarianship. Nevertheless, the results show that these potentials are far from being fully exploited. Originality. The previous researches in Croatia have perceived the public libraries' role in context of multiculturalism mostly as places that provide minority collections and organize activities for the minorities. In addition, these researches have not differentiated between multicultural and intercultural services and activities. Therefore, the significant contribution of this paper lies in setting the scope for the critical evaluation of the theoretical and methodological approaches for future research on intercultural topics in Croatian librarianship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the presence of academic libraries at the Josip Juraj Strossmayer University in Osijek on the social network Facebook, and to analyze their activity. A quantitative and qualitative analysis of the seven academic libraries' posts that have their own Facebook pages was carried out to determine which content on the sites is most popular and how much Facebook can help libraries to promote their activities and establish better communication with users. Approach/methodology/design. By browsing the websites of all University components that have libraries, it was found that 7 out of 15 libraries have their own Facebook pages. By determining the number of „likes" and the number of followers, the popularity of each library Facebook page was estimated. In the next step, the activity of librarians on the Facebook pages was observed by counting published photos, videos, events, and notes. The data on the posts published by the libraries and the reactions of the followers were analyzed in detail quantitatively and qualitatively for the period from January 1st to April 30th 2020. Finally, the most popular posts on library Facebook pages were highlighted. Results. The analysis showed that less than half of the libraries of the Josip Juraj Strossmayer University in Osijek do not have their own Facebook page. The Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences has the largest numbers of „likes" and followers on their page. We have not been able to prove the assumption that the numbers of „likes" and followers of the pages are influenced by the size of the total number of students of a certain faculty, the date of creation of the site, and whether the faculties belong to the social sciences or STEM. The popularity of the Facebook pages, however, depends mostly on the type and content of the posts, the number of photos, videos, and events. The best indicator of popularity is the number of reactions to the posts, the number of comments and shares. According to these indicators, we found that the Facebook page of the library of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences is the most popular library Facebook page at the University. Originality/value. The paper brings previously unpublished data on the presence of academic libraries of the University of Osijek on the social network Facebook, the quantitative and qualitative data on their activity, and the overall user acceptance of the posts written by the libraries. The detailed content analysis of the libraries' posts on their Facebook pages can serve as a guide for libraries in strategic planning and identifying the needs of their users, primarily students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal for Pedagogical & Educational Matters / Školski Vjesnik is the property of Hrvatski Pedagosko-Knjizevni Zbor, Ogranak Split and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Library spaces have always been the result of the amount of invested time, needs, possibilities, and reflections of the librarians in a certain period, the architects, and the general community to which the library services were intended. Public libraries are defined as public institutions, which means that they are open to the public, serve the public, and their activities are directed towards satisfying the cultural and educational needs of the local communities. The modern era, the age of new services and information technologies, requires a new approach, not only to the users, but also to the spaces they use during their visits to libraries. In the introductory part of the paper, based on the example of the City Library „Ivan Goran Kovačić" in Karlovac, the author presents the idea of constructing a functional and aesthetically pleasing public library building in Karlovac. The paper is based on the content analysis of archive documents, applicable legal regulations, and the available professional literature on public libraries planning. The paper analyses the lack of library space in the Karlovac Library over the years, planning new spaces, and public advocacy that has been carried out over a period of time in order to resolve this problem. The solution of the Karlovac library space is explained by commenting the stages it went through over the years. At the same time, through the analysis of the aspects of the library spaces and equipment, the needs of the users in the past and today, in the modern society, are compared. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Bosniaca is the property of National & University Library of Bosnia & Herzegovina and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Bosniaca is the property of National & University Library of Bosnia & Herzegovina and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Bosniaca is the property of National & University Library of Bosnia & Herzegovina and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Throughout the world libraries have been making efforts to stimulate reading from an early age (with babies and toddlers), because it influences reading competences. The paper presents the best library practices for first steps in reading competences used in USA and Germany. Both countries have a number of different programs, but an additional reason is that their programs are easily put into practice. We also mention several interesting positive examples of cooperation of libraries and other institutions in this field. The article presents the main possibilities for stimulating reading with children from birth to the age of six: direct forms like "Story time", steps intended for the mediators of the reading, i. e. parents, teachers, educators, librarians, and national campaigns like the Summer Reading Program. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the year 1985 the Association of Librarians of Bilogora, Podravina and Kalnik Region started the journal Svezak, becoming the first regional association with its periodical. The third issue of 1987 was followed by a lengthy period of non-publication. It was restarted in 1999, reappearing in a modern new format. It advanced significantly from its 1985 first ever issue, boasting a sophisticated graphic design, thematic focus, clearly defined concept, easy-to-follow layout of sections and contributions from a number of professionals working at various types of libraries. Svezak is published annually and presents articles dealing with the field of library science and culture in general. Ever since its first issue the journal has strived towards a high degree of expertise, educational content and a popular writing style. In other words, its content and style were intended to suit the needs and expectations of both librarians and library users, as well as all those involved in library science and library-related work, or simply taking interest in library-related issues. The journal's every issue offers articles on events and programmes organized at public, school and special libraries throughout the past year in the area covered by the Association. In addition, the journal includes a series of reviews on field-related expert meetings and training undergone at libraries abroad, thus positioning it as an important tool used by librarians for mutual information exchange and professional enhancement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Green Library is a project of the the Librarian Association of Istria first initiated in 2011, with the goal of educating the public and raising the awareness about sustainable development and the necessity for environmental protection. Nine libraries and more than fifteen other institutions have participated in the project so far, with thirty-two lectures, twenty-one creative workshops and one public discussion held and seventeen educational documentaries shown. The project was received exceptionally well in the County of Istria, and its activities were well attended. The next step should be expanding the project to other counties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the key competencies for a children's librarian is to know and evaluate literature for children -- books, periodicals, audiovisual materials, websites and other electronic sources, etc. In this respect, children's librarians can add the most recent and relevant materials to the library collections, meeting both the developmental characteristics of children and needs or interests of each individual. The level of competence in this area is primarily reflected in the quality of library collections, and the impact on library acquisition policy. In addition, it is directly linked with recommending quality literature for children service and other information and reference services. Furthermore, being familiar with the literature for children as well as knowing how to evaluate it professionally has a large impact on the design of various library programs such as the promotion of reading and consulting with parents. Construction of the respective collections is considered to be the basis for the development of most other services. The question is whether it is possible to build and maintain the quality of library collections, and to appropriately design and develop other programs and services if a librarian is not familiar with the published literature. This paper will bring the results of the research aimed to explore the extent to which children's librarians of the county libraries in Croatia are familiar with the picture books for children and books for younger children. Additionally, it will discuss possible reasons for underdeveloped competencies in this area, and suggest some solutions for the existing problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this paper is to present the current state in the university libraries with special reference to the library staff. In the period between October 2011 and the end of February 2012 the research on the profile of the employees in the university libraries was conducted. It was done by searching the university web sites and by phone contacts with the librarians. The conclusion is that such analyses should be done regularly. They should be based on the parameters which would be defined by The Standards for the Academic Libraries in order to enable the extraction of the relevant statistical data and reports. Such analyses should become a legal obligation which would provide an insight into the current problems and ways of solving them as well as creating the conditions for staff enforcement and more effective functioning of the university libraries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Communication skills belong to the fundamental skills for librarians, especially those who work in user departments. But, the question is how successful are we really in communication with our users? Do we manage to communicate our message to them, and if we do, to what degree? This paper presents the findings of the research conducted at the City and University Library in Osijek. The research was qualitative in nature, and conducted on two focus groups in order to gather the necessary data. One group consisted of the librarians, and the other of the users of the City and University Library in Osijek. Through the analysis of real-life situations, the research focused on communication errors and problems, but has also shown the examples of positive practice in the librarian-user everyday interactions. The paper offers suggestions for improvement of librarian communication skills. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper presents the opening speech from the 38th General Conference and Assembly of the Croatian Library Association. Giving a historic overview and presenting the experience of the Croatian Library Association, as well as its contemporary priorities and activities, the paper analyzes the goals and tasks of professional library associations today, in modern society which is going through great changes caused primarily by the new technologies and globalization. Furthermore, it questions which reasons should motivate librarians to engage in the work of professional library associations, in the environment in which the libraries themselves are substantially changing their goals and tasks in order to secure their survival, which was seriously questioned by some recent theories. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper provides a historical overview and the legal framework of the development of continuing education for librarians in Croatia. The characteristics of Training Center for Continuing Education for Librarians in Croatia are compared to the Training centre network - TCN-LIS in Eastern Europe and Central Asia. The performance indicators of the Croatian Training Center for Continuing Education for Librarians indicate some specific tendencies of development of a structured centralized system for continuous learning in the field of library and information science in Croatia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Bosniaca is the property of National & University Library of Bosnia & Herzegovina and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)