CROATIAN MOBILE LIBRARIES
by Spomenka Petrović
ZAGREB CITY LIBRARIES Republic of Croatia
Population of 4 800 000
Area of 56 542 km2
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 vans for transport of the books Šibenik 1975 Founding a modern mobile library service
Z a g r e b
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 1980 another bookmobile was bought 1981 the second shift started
1982 Zagreb has: - 74 stops - 10 853 members - 176 000 loans 1977 - 1980
15 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 1979 - bookmobiles started in Čakovec, Đakovo, Koprivnica, Samobor, Slavonski Brod and in Delnice a van In 1980 - Bjelovar, Duga Resa, Glina, Knin, Rijeka as change for the adapted bus from 1969, in Split and second bokmobile in Zagreb 1986
15 mobile libraries 504 stops 30 000 members 300 000 loans of books 125 000 issues of books staff of 41 1990
10 year old bookmobile in Rijeka and 14 year old bookmobile in Zagreb were replaced with new ones 1994 war operations and devastations finances administrative reorganization
Only 6 mobile libraries with 7 bookmobiles were remained (Bjelovar, Čakovec, Karlovac, Koprivnica, Rijeka, Zagreb) 1995 Zagreb – new bookmobile
made in Zagreb
on Volvo’s 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 1996 - 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
2003-2004 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 2004
7 mobile libraries – 8 bookmobiles
225 bookmobile stops
11 904 members
108 364 visits
215 224 loans of books
150 000 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