Public libraries in Slovenia

Slovenia 20.300 km2 2 million inhabitants 58 main libraries / 10 regional libraries 269 branches 13 bookmobiles with 699 stops 23% of population are library members; 65% are users 1.224 employees Operation costs: 21 EUR per inhabitant

Funding Ministrstry of Culture Municipalities Library material (books, audio/video, e-resources) Special activities of regional libraries Digitisation and digital library --- no funding for projects Municipalities Maintaining the libraries‘ premises Salaries Library material --- decrease since 2011

Public Libraries Association http://zdruzenje-knjiznic.si/?lang=en The main organisation that connects the Slovenian public libraries and represents their interests regarding policy, strategy, development and management issues. Some activities: Survey among members, users and non-users of public libraries, 2011 The Slovenian Public Libraries Development Strategy 2013-2020 School for public libraries‘ management (since 2014) Annual Award for innovative projects Public Libraries Supporting Social Inclusion (2015) / project, funded by Public Libraries 2020, connects impact assessment and advocacy Development of the project of central acquisition and cataloguing service for all public libraries (2016) - still under discussion

Survey among members, users and non-users of public libraries in 2011 65% of respondents use public libraries: either they are members or they use them through children, relatives, friends etc. 97% of respondents support public funding of public libraries also in the future 76% of users still come to the library to borrow books; 72% to get information; 40% to use internet Suggestions for future directions: support to users with special needs, services on local cultural heritage Non-users: 60+, low level of education, pensioners, don‘t have school children The first national survey among members, users and non-users of public libraries in Slovenia ever.

Internet based services developed by public libraries Kamra, www.kamra.si , since 2008 developed and maintained by regional libraries. A portal accumulates digitised local cultural content from libraries and other local cultural institutions such as museums, archives, local associations, schools. Biblos, http://www.biblos.si/lib/ , since 2013 A platform for purchasing and lending e-books. It was developed in partnership between publishers and public libraries. Goodbooks, http://www.dobreknjige.si/, since 2014 A platform, developed by 2 regional libraries, which promote reading of good books (only fiction at the first stage). It is opened also for users to comment, evaluate, share. Most public libraries contribute the descriptions of books. + national services: COBISS, dLib.si

Public Library Kranj is a regional library for Gorenjska

Gorenjska region Alpine region with diverse mountainous landscape 10% of Slovenian population: 205.000 inhabitants 18 municipalities Rate of registered unemployment in 2015 is 9,5 % – the lowest in Slovenia

City Library Kranj – the regional library Gorenjska: 5 public libraries with 33 branches Services Remote access to educational e-resources for members of all Gorenjska libraries Bibliographical database of important people in Gorenjska: www.gorenjci.si Free interlibrary loan Regional editors for Kamra and Goodreads Local studies – cooperation in the region Digitisation Training courses for librarians in the region

New library building in 2011 Central library in Kranj + 6 branches in Cerklje, Jezersko, Naklo, Preddvor, Stražišče, Šenčur. 80.500 inhabitants, 55.000 in Kranj 7,3 % of imigrants ( increasing ) New library building in 2011 Merging of 3 separate libraries 5.400 m2 Previous shopping mall Architect Edvard Ravnikar (the building is a cultural heritage)

Some numbers in 2016 Acquisition: 11.500 books; 1.700 NBM; Stock: 490.000 books, 38.000 NBM 900 e-books Members: 20.000 ( 25% of population) Visits: 380.000 a year, 1.600 a day Events: 895 per year

Collections Film and music Prešerniana Local studies collection Some old books the oldest book from 1480 : incunabulum in Latin

Services Information literacy Since 2012 The programme changes every year ICT courses - simple and advanced Workshops: cloud computing, planing trips with google, digital photography, movie making, coding (scratch) Smart phones Summer and winter IT schools for children, coding 7.000 participants in 2016

Services Reading literacy - Children Family reading Quiz Blue dog (actually green, but blue means also smart) Dogs' bags

Services Reading literacy – Adults Book reading clubs in the library and other places (homes for elderly), Summer reading bags Promotion of reading Slovenian authors Mini summer library on the museum inyard and at the swimming pool.

Events Day of France Prešeren – national culture day More than 2.500 visitors in 8 hours Music, debates, presentations Quiz and workshops for children

Events Playing Chess, go Improvisation performances (youth) Movie evenings Comics evenings Exhibitions of Slovene illustrators

Human Library Equalities tool that seeks to challenge prejudice and discrimination. Books = people Reading = conversation The Living Library is an equalities tool that seeks to challenge prejudice and discrimination. It works just like a normal library: visitors can browse the catalogue for the available titles, choose the Book they want to read, and borrow it for a limited period of time. After reading, they return the Book to the library and, if they want, they can borrow another. The only difference is that in the Living Library, Books are people, and reading consists of a conversation.