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Content (2016, Issue 5)
Todortsev-Khlacha K. The model of Central libraries for national minorities in Croatia: experience and strategy developmentAbstract: The model for the central minority libraries was developed in 1990. It’s based on three contradictory components, despite its negative effect; it presents a challenge and provides a creative incentive for an innovative approach to an efficient way of solving the problems which were encountered during the 25 years of the model’s development. The first structural component is a field of work that relates to the whole of Croatia, making it difficult to provide services to customers outside the main library.The second is the status of the minority library, which isn’t an independent organizational unit; this reduces the possibility of implementing strategic proposals with the aim of qualitative development. The third component is a collection, which is able to provide services of a public library, as well as a school or even university library. All three components are in a controversial conflict in such a way that the work area is more suitable to a institution that has the status of an independent unit, the range of services includes several areas which are in the competency sphere of several different libraries regarding application and content. In such a situation, when it’s necessary to coordinate the work of the central minority libraries in the given conditions, particular importance is given to the valuation of its business with regard to measure the impact of library services to users, minority communities, and society, both at local and national level.The analysis of the central minority libraries model that is in place form 1990 has potential, as the analysis of gathered data from interviews with head librarians shows. To achieve qualitative progress, a strategy of development of central minority libraries within the network of public libraries should be developed and applied. One of the fundamental principles of the implementation of the strategic concept at the functional and organisational level is the analysis of the effects and services as well as the evaluation of the central minority libraries services via the gathering of statistical data, with the gaol of improving the ability to form and develop central minority libraries collections within the network of national libraries outside of the central library, the management, the usage of allocated fund, the advocacy, the improvement of customer services and the cooperation with the minority and majority communities. Keywords: multiculturality, public libraries of Croatia, the central minority library, net of CML, strategy of development of central minority libraries. Author(s) citation: Cite: |
