In every city in BiH, whether those with a larger number of citizens or smaller ones are hidden real treasures of knowledge – libraries. They are there for decades, our citizens rescued them during the war, and today they are facing with major problems.
They are trying to follow modern European and the world trends in this area and introduce new information and communication technologies in their everyday business.
“It is not unusual for the children and very young people today to use mobile devices – tablets and computers, the Internet and social networks. Users of the Library have these services at their disposal and it was recorded that the attention of the young people for such a method and services is increased. However, it is necessary to pay attention to the spatial capacities and arrangement of libraries, modern IT and communications equipment, trained personnel, as well as enriching the library fund with the most recent editions of desideratum, as well as other contents that libraries can offer, because the stereotype that the library is a warehouse of books has been outdated,” said Bedita Islamovic, the manager of the Department for filling funds of the National and University Library of BiH (NUBBiH).
The National and University Library of the RS started with the process of digitization, which is included in the Strategy for Development of Culture of the RS, but special attention is also given to education and training of librarians.
“You can no longer be the librarian as 30 years ago, you have to be computer expert as well, you must simply know everything”, said Lilja Petrovic-Zecic, director of the National and University Library of the RS, which last year celebrated 80 years of work, and noted that in this library in Banja Luka are organized exhibitions and evenings of prose and poetry.
The problem of finance is present in the majority of libraries in BiH, but there is one positive example from Canton Tuzla and – National and University Library “Dervis Susic”. This library from Tuzla recorded “a positive year” in the last five years and they finished the last year with 30,100 BAM of profit.
Director of the National and University Library “Dervis Susic” Edin Jahic noted that books, unfortunately, are less and less read and that the new media are taking over.
“We are trying to attract visitors to our library in all ways possible, and primarily with new titles, which attracts them the most. We are promoting young authors, organizing evenings of poetry, prose … When you are working on it, there is a success, although it is difficult to follow the trends nowadays. It is important to show that libraries are not just ‘warehouses’ for books, but a place for your vacation, and escape from everything,” said the director of the National and University Library “Dervis Susic”.
(Source: Hajrija Avdic/Radiosarajevo.ba)
