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

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

3. 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

4. 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

5. 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

6. 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

7. 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

8. 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