CROATIAN MOBILE LIBRARIES by Spomenka Petrović ZAGREB CITY LIBRARIES

Republic of Croatia Population of Area of km 2 Coast long 5835 km 21 districts Hundreds islands

Historical review Karlovac 1911 the Education committee organized mobile service by coach Rijeka 1935 the books were delivered in the villages and teachers borrowed them to users

Karlovac 1955 the books were delivered in wooden boxes in 1964 the van was bought Rijeka 1969 a bus was adapted for book transport 2 employees 53 towns and villages 4000 books Bjelovar 1972 Split 1974 Šibenik 1975 vans for transport of the books

At the end of 1976 the first bookmobile started in Zagreb In 1978 the second shift was organized This vihacle became a prototype for all Croatian bookmobiles Founding a modern mobile library service ZagrebZagreb

1980 another bookmobile was bought 1981 the second shift started 1982 Zagreb has: - 74 stops members loans

bookmobiles were made for Croatia (in Maribor, Slovenia) On bus chasses 3 types of vehicles A 11 m long, 5000 books B 8 m long, 3000 books C 5 m long, 2000 books Financed by The Ministary of culture and local government

In 1978 bookmobiles started in Pula and Karlovac

In bookmobiles started in Čakovec, Đakovo, Koprivnica, Samobor, Slavonski Brod and in Delnice a van

In Bjelovar, Duga Resa, Glina, Knin, Rijeka as change for the adapted bus from 1969, in Split and second bokmobile in Zagreb

15 mobile libraries 504 stops members loans of books issues of books staff of

10 year old bookmobile in Rijeka and 14 year old bookmobile in Zagreb were replaced with new ones 1990

Only 6 mobile libraries with 7 bookmobiles were remained (Bjelovar, Čakovec, Karlovac, Koprivnica, Rijeka, Zagreb) war operations and devastations finances administrative reorganization 1994

1995 Zagreb – new bookmobile made in Zagreb on Volvos chasses 13 m long financed by municipal government

The interior of new bookmobile 110 m book-shelves 6000 books air-condition for the first time

Section for public libraries Situation after the war: 4 of 7 bookmobiles are about 18 years old many libraries are distroyed Conclusions: bookmobiles would be good substitution for destroyed libraries it is urgent to change these 4 old bookmobiles

Round tables about mobile libraries 1999 Koprivnica: Bookmobiles now and tomorrow 2000 Karlovac: Who needs mobile library? 2001 Čakovec: Mobile library: yes or no? 2001 Working group for mobile libraries was founded

It is time for new bookmobiles 2002 Bookmobiles are 24 years old 2002 The Ministry of culture and district governments finance 4 new buses New bookmobiles, made in Zagreb, started to work

Čakovec December 5, 2003

Karlovac December 17, 2003

Koprivnica Ferbuary 27, 2004

Bjelovar September 8, 2004

2001 Osijek, bookmobile started to work - Donation from Netherlands

2004 Rijeka, new bookmobile for District of Gorski kotar

New bookmobiles - modern tehnology Computers CD & DVD players CDs & DVDs On-line catalogue Internet access

Working practice 3-6 stops per day 1-5 hours per stop 2 weeks interval 2-3 workers in bookmobile Zagreb: 2 shifts; other: 1 shift

Statistic for mobile libraries – 8 bookmobiles 225 bookmobile stops members visits loans of books books 25 employees

Future and visions Vinkovci – new bookmobile till the end of 2005 Zagreb – new bookmobile insted of 15 years old one Osijek – second bokmobile for The District of Baranja Second shift for all bookmobiles New mobile library services in districts without a good library network Book-boats for islands

Thank you for your attention Spomenka Petrović Head of Zagreb Mobile Library March, 2005