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

the Education committee organizedmobile service by coach

Rijeka 1935

the books were delivered in thevillages and teachers borrowed themto users

Karlovac 1911

Karlovac 1955

the books were deliveredin wooden boxesin 1964 the van was bought

Rijeka 1969

a bus was adapted for booktransport2 employees53 towns and villages4000 books

Bjelovar 1972Split 1974Šibenik 1975

vans for transport of the books

Founding a modern mobile library service

Zagreb

At the end of 1976 the first bookmobile started in ZagrebIn 1978 the second shift was organized This vihacle became a prototype for all Croatian bookmobiles

1980 another bookmobile was bought1981 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 vehiclesA 11 m long, 5000 booksB 8 m long, 3000 booksC 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

15 mobile libraries504 stops30 000 members300 000 loans of books125 000 issues of booksstaff of 41

1986

1990

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

war operations and devastationsfinancesadministrative reorganization

1994

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 bymunicipal government

The interior of new bookmobile

110 m book-shelves

6000 books

air-condition forthe 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 wasfounded

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 forDistrict 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 bookmobiles225 bookmobile stops11 904 members108 364 visits215 224 loans of books150 000 books25 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 PetrovićHead of Zagreb Mobile Library

March, 2005