Search

Purpose. The University of Rijeka Library has limited financial funds for the acquisition of library materials at their disposal. Based on the existing data on the purchased books usage statistics, this paper aims to determine the efficacy of these acquisitions, that is, if the library users have really borrowed the purchased books. Further more, the paper will try to identify the books that were purchased but not borrowed and explore the reasons why they were not borrowed. Approach/methodolo/design. Based on the reports of the book loans generated by the library software, the usage analysis of the purchased books has been carried out. The analysis was conducted on the monographs which were purchased and borrowed in the period between 2014 and 2018. Findings. The results show that in the researched period mostly domestic books were purchased. The topics and the content of the acquired books correspond to the study programs of the University of Rijeka. High percentage of the purchased books have been borrowed later by the library users. Research limitations/implications. Since the University of Rijeka Library is purchasing only a small number of serial titles, this analysis is limited to the purchased monographs only. Practical implications. The methodology of the analysis can be applied in libraries that can procure the same or similar data reports. It is applicable in the libraries that consider necessary the evaluation of their own acquisition policies from time to time, taking into consideration the usage data on all acquired materials, regardless of the acquisition methods. The analysis results can be used as an argument in the negotiations with the library founders and any other potential library financiers. They can also be used to revise and adjust library acquisition policies. Originality/value. Usually, the collection evaluation methods are used on the entire collections or the library holdings as the whole, regardless of the acquisition methods. This analysis was focused on the books acquired by the specific method, regardless of the library collection each item belongs to. It is intended to explore and evaluate if the financial means were used in the most efficient way, but viewed from the users’ perspective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose. The purpose of this paper is to present the state of professional training and development (continuing education) of the librarians in the libraries of the University of Rijeka. Together, these libraries constitute the University of Rijeka's library network (SveRiKS). The paper aims to identify the problems in the realization of continuing education and professional development of librarians and find possibilities of their overcoming, and also to anticipate the librarians' needs in continuing education in future. Approach/methodology/design. Based on the data on the realized programs of lifelong learning for librarians between 2013 and 2017, a survey was conducted in order to determine attitudes and opinions of librarians about professional training, obstacles they encounter, and their needs and preferred training methods in future. Findings. The survey results show that the professional training programs for librarians in the University of Rijeka library network have been carried out regularly and the educational content was in accordance with the current trends, changes, and demands in the modern environment. The librarians are continually involved in the processes of professional training and are successful in evaluating problems and needs in the context of lifelong learning. The results also show that the basic librarians' competencies are no longer sufficient for a successful carrying out of their everyday tasks. The shorter trainings in the educational contents that are directly applicable in librarians' work are considered as a possible solution. Originality value. For the University of Rijeka Library, the survey results present a starting point for an assessment of the current state and needs of the librarians, but also for a well-argued discussion with the libraries' founder, the University, in order to systematically develop a professional training plan for the library staff. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose. The purpose of this paper is to emphasize the difficulties in the process of creatig the library development guidelines document, its importance and the elements it should include, and then present all these factors on the example of creating the collection development guidelines in the University Library Rijeka. Approach/Methodology/Design. The paper presents several definitions of collection development guidelines, emphasizes their signifacance and the necessity of creating this document for libraries, as well as the elements it should contain. The paper presents the results of the research conducted by browsing the web sites of six Croatian university libraries in December 2016, and then discusses the fundamental principles of collection development guidelines in the University Library Rijeka. Findings. In the process of creating the guidelines for the University Library Rijeka, the selected theoretical findings as well as some examples of good practices in Western European and American university libraries were used. Practical implications. The presented data and the examples may serve as a model to other libraries that decide to create and implement their own library collection development guidelines. Originality/Value. The research results have shown that the practice of creating the collection development guidelines is still not widely accepted in Croatian libraries. The authors point out the importance of creating this document and making it public for libraries, emphasizing that it should be one of the fundamental documents in library business. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]