Croatian School Libraries Story Vanja Jurilj MA Library

Croatian School Libraries Story Vanja Jurilj, MA Library, CASL president & Ivanka Stričević, Ph. D, UNIZD

Republic of Croatia: context § Population: 4, 46 milion (2011 census) § EU state: 1 July 2013 § Preschool education 6 mnts - 6 yrs § § Elementary (basic) education 6 - 14 yrs § § 901 elementary schools Secondary education 14 - 18 yrs § § 700 kindergatens 425 grammar and vocational schools Higher (tertiary) education 18 -. . . yrs § § § 8 public univesrsities Privat universities Polytechnics

School libraries and librarians § school libraries in elementary schools: 900 school libraries in secondary schools: 388 § Every school library: school librarian § Professional profile of school librarians: § § University study – librarianship (at 4 Universities) § § 300 ECTS (5 years university study) 60 ECTS in teaching competences § Included in 300 ECTS or in addition Bologna System: Basic scheme § Pregraduate study – 180 ECTS § Graduate study – 120 ECTS

Major challenges for school libraries/librarians § 1) Two ministries responsible for libraries § Ministry of Science, Education, and Sports § § Academic, special, research and school librares Ministry of Culture § public libraries. § The Croatian Library Council - advisory body that subsumes both ministries § National and University Library (NUL) in Zagreb - serves both as the central library of the University of Zagreb and the national library of the entire Croatian library system 2) A lack of substantional financial investemnt in a school libraries collections 3) Legal requirements for the education of the school librarians are very high (university level in both LIS and teaching competences) but are not always followed § subordinated documents allow ´creative´ interpretations

4) Uneven development of libraries § § Although there are legislated standards by which libraries are meant to operate, school libraries in poorer places suffer from insufficient infrastructure 5) The measure of success of particular library § § determined solely by the enthusiasm of individual school or librarian 6) The adoption and application of technology § § not a part of a national plan, but instead depend on the awareness, interest, and financial capabilities of the library founder 7) Library software § § several competing library-management software packages are used within the country, which inefficiently hinders cooperation

Factors that are positively affecting the advancement of school libraries § § § A long and rich history and tradition of librarianship has provided an excellent foundation for the sustainability of the libraries Academic educational programs for the library profession The law that obliges librarians to have graduate-level qualification which ensure professional status Continuous transfer of knowledge and experiences within the country and with colleagues abroad Conferences, seminars and periodic professional meetings on county or country level

Curricula reform 2015/2016 § § Recently under public discussion Stresses the role of school library in two crosscurricular themes: § § ICT usage Learning to learn competences Requires a close cooperation of teachers and librarians Information literacy – stressed as an overall generic competence

Some reference points § Croatian Association of School Librarians Croatian Library Association – School Libraries Section Croatian network of scool librarians – knjiznicari. hr School librarians on Facebook § Annual Conferences § § School librarians’ Spring school § § Proceedings Conference of the Croatian Association of School Librarians