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Purpose: The article presents findings from a study, which investigated the state of library collections and services in Croatian prisons. Methodology: The study was conducted between April and June 2019, with the help of an anonymous survey. The whole population (23 correctional institutions) were included in the study. Valid responses were obtained from 22 institutions. Findings: The paper presents the most recent data about library collections and services of Croatian prison libraries, the organization (funding, collection building, staff, space, programming etc.) and their use. Also, insight into prison staff's perception about the importance of reading and prison libraries in general, is given. Research limitations: These are linked to the difficulties with personal contact with respondents and the limitations that are inherent to the quantitative methodology used. Originality and value: The study presents important findings about the state of prison libraries in Croatia. Based on the comparisons with a previous study and IFLA Guidelines for Library Services to Prisoners, recommendations are made for the development of Croatian prison libraries according to the international best practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study presented in this paper investigates LIS doctoral students' perceptions and experiences about the supervision during their doctoral experience, with special emphasis on the qualities of good supervisors and doctoral students. Data were collected through an online survey and follow-up semi-structured interviews with doctoral students from Croatia's three state universities offering a doctorate in LIS. A total of 60 respondents participated in a quantitative study, and 13 respondents were interviewed. The survey results show that doctoral students tend to prefer formally regulated supervisory relationships whereas supervisors and students have unambiguous and clear understanding of their roles and responsibilities. The findings also reveal that doctoral students seek support in the following areas: research, methodology, emotional support and administrative procedures. Interview participants suggest that a successful supervisory relationship could be facilitated by adequate training, both for supervisors and students. Large majority of survey respondents think that four main characteristics of good supervisors are the following: having time for the student, providing students with timely and constructive feedback, setting research goals and timeline together and helping students become independent in scientific work. Respondents agree that doctoral students, in order to be successful in their study, must be internally motivated and well informed about the chosen study program, they must attend to their responsibilities in a timely manner, meet physically with the supervisor and work toward achieving scholarly independence. The findings of this study can contribute toward better understanding of supervisory relationship at doctoral level, in particular in Croatian LIS academic community, and development of guidelines for successful supervision based on the first hand experience of doctoral students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This chapter presents findings from a study into reading interests and habits of prisoners in six Croatian penitentiaries, and their perception and use of prison libraries. The study was conducted with the help of self-administered print survey. A total of 30% of prison population (male and female) in selected prisons was included in the study and a total of 504 valid questionnaires were returned (response rate of 81.3%). Findings indicate that reading is the respondents' most popular leisure activity and that they read more now than before coming to prison. Respondents read more fiction than non-fiction. Most frequently they read crime novels, thrillers, and historical novels. To a lesser degree, they read religious literature, biographies, spiritual novels, social problem novels, self- help, war novels, science fiction, erotic novels, romances, spy novels and horrors. Respondents would like to read daily newspapers and magazines, and books about sport, health, travel, computers, hobbies, cookbooks, etc. Respondents have wide reading interests (both in relation to fiction and non-fiction) but they do not have access to them in their prison library. Respondents reported that reading makes their life in prison easier and their time in prison passes faster with books. Only about a quarter of respondents are satisfied with their prison library collection. Almost a fifth of respondents does not visit the library at all because it does not have anything they would like to find there: newspapers, modern literature, non-fiction, reading material for visually impaired and computers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose. The paper presents the research results aimed at investigating the participation of the librarians employed in different types of library institutions in the Republic of Croatia in various continuing professional development activities (reading professional literature, participation in conferences and scientific research), and identifying their perception of domestic scientific research in librarianship (relevance, weaknesses, research problems, etc.). Methodology. The research was conducted in May 2018 using the anonymous online questionnaire (13 questions with multiple choice answers and open questions). The study used the convenience sampling method. The quantitative analysis was conducted on 227 correctly completed questionnaires using the SPSS statistical package. The qualititative data were analysed with the help of the content analysis method. Findings. The findings have given an insight into the amount of time the respondents have devoted to reading the professional literature and participation in the conferences. In addition, their participation in scientific research, collaboration with scholars, and their perception of scientific research in librarianship in Croatia have been analyzed. Limitations. The size and the representativity of the sample.Originality/Value. Although continuing professional education of librarians has already been discussed before, the Croatian professional literature seems to lack studies into librarians' perception of scientific research. This study reveals original findings on this topic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents an exploratory study whose aim was to investigate selected aspects of information needs and information seeking behavior related to the European Union (EU) by public library users in an EU acceding country. Research questions addressed the importance of European information for respondents, types and context of EU information needs, and various aspects of the information seeking process (e.g., information sources consulted, obstacles encountered while seeking information). The findings revealed a high need for information about the EU and relatively low level of knowledge about the EU among the respondents. The results indicated that respondents required different types of EU-related information, mainly for personal reasons because they wanted to better understand the European Union in general and its effects on their everyday lives. The majority of respondents preferred readily available sources to access EU information, such as the Internet and TV/radio. Libraries and official EU publications were rarely used. When searching for European information, the majority of respondents faced the same problems as respondents in long-established EU countries: they struggled with the large amount of information related to the EU and they had difficulties in where to look for EU-related information. This is the first study of EU information needs and seeking behavior in an acceding country, and the findings are expected to be of interest to European administrations charged with the development of effective communication policies, national authorities in EU candidate and acceding countries, and information professionals in general. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The article contributes to the professional discussion of prison librarianship in the context of intellectual freedom and social justice paradigm. It presents results from a nationwide survey of the prison libraries in Croatia. Survey was conducted in 2013 through a mailed questionnaire that received a 91.3% response rate. The study set off to answer the following research questions: How are Croatian prison libraries organised and managed? and What kind of library collections and services are offered to incarcerated persons in Croatia? The results show that almost all correctional institutions in Croatia provide some kind of minimal library services to their inmates. However, prison libraries in Croatia are not professionally managed nor are they regularly funded. Further, their collections are developed mainly through gifts and there is almost no evidence of any systematic programming which would lead to constructive and creative use of prisoners’ free time. Although there are some shining examples, it is evident that prison libraries in Croatia are underdeveloped and in need of a new organisational and financial model. Authors conclude with concrete recommendations for improved library services to this marginalised population in Croatia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper presents results of the study into perceptions and experiences of students and teachers in relation to the use of online encyclopaedia Wikipedia for academic purposes. In the study authors tried to answer the following research questions: "How do students and teachers perceive Wikipedia, as a source of academic information?", "Are there any differences between students and teachers?", "Do teachers consult Wikipedia in their academic work?", "Why and how do students use Wikipedia for academic purposes?", and "What factors influence students' and teachers' perceptions and uses of Wikipedia?". The study was conducted among students and teachers at Osijek University, Croatia, with the help of online and print survey. In respect to the perception of Wikipedia, the study showed that students had a more positive opinion of Wikipedia than teachers, and that among students there are differences in respect to their gender, scientific area and the frequency of their use of academic libraries and online databases. In relation to teachers, the statistically significant difference was found only in respect to the gender of respondents: male teachers had in general more positive attitude toward Wikipedia than their female colleagues. Although results show that teachers themselves rarely use Wikipedia for academic purposes, only 19.8% of respondents explicitly forbid their students to use this source. While teachers use Wikipedia more frequently in teaching than in the context of research and scientific work, students use Wikipedia to a larger degree because it is easily searchable than because it offers quality and reliable information. While for teachers' use of Wikipedia no statistically significant differences were found (e.g. gender, scientific area), in examining students' use of Wikipedia significant differences were found in relation to gender, level of study, scientific area, academic success, frequency of the academic library use and the perceived attitude of their teachers toward Wikipedia. Despite limited sample and drawbacks inherent to the method and instrument used, the results of the study can contribute to the understanding of students and teachers' information behavior in academic context, and in particular in relation to the online encyclopaedia Wikipedia. At the same time, the results of this study can be used by academic teachers and librarians when preparing their classes in information literacy and evaluation of online sources in particular. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose -- The purpose of this paper is to present the exploratory study whose aim was to investigate the information needs and information-seeking behavior of post-secondary students related to the European Union (EU) in Croatia. Design/methodology/approach -- A total of 504 students enrolled in post-secondary education across country took part in this study. Data were collected through an online survey during a 60-day period preceding the Croatia's full membership in the EU. Findings -- The findings revealed the high need for information about the EU among the student population. The respondents required European information in a wide range of thematic areas and the majority of them did not feel well informed about the EU in general. Students responding required the European information both for personal reasons and for educational purposes. The majority of respondents required the EU information in order to better understand the EU in general and they faced a number of challenges when accessing it. Research limitations/implications -- Limitations inherent to the method used and the limited number of respondents. Future research should include a wider array of respondents (older citizens, professionals, etc.) so as to obtain a broad a picture as possible of information needs and seeking behavior related to EU. Practical implications -- The study offers valuable insight into the types of EU information needed by citizens (post-secondary students) in an acceding country. The survey results are expected to be of interest to European administration charged with the development of effective communication policies, national authorities in EU candidate and acceding countries, and information professionals in general. Originality/value -- This is the first study of EU information needs and seeking behavior in an acceding country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]