Name of the Library: City Library in Zagreb
Parent Organisation: Zagreb City Libraries
Street Address:Starčević Square 6
Postal Address:10000 Zagreb, Croatia
Telephone :+385 (0)1 4694 300
Web Address: http://www.kgz.hr
Library Email:gradska.knjiznica@kgz.hr
Type of Library: Central/ Main Library
Population served: General population, students, pupils, children and young adults, LIS professionals, etc.
Project Type: Conversion
Size (square metres): 2,560 m²
Date of Completion: 1895
Architect: Leo Hönigsberg and Julije Deutsch
Description
The City Library is located in the very city centre, just a few steps away from the Central Train Station and a few minutes from the main square in a building Starčević’s House. The building was built in 1895 and the interior was slightly remodelled to accommodate the City Library in 1995. Departments and collections are situated on three floors within the building. Reference and Information Department is on the ground level, together with Daily and Weekly Newspapers Reading room, Central Ruthenium and Ukrainian Library, Bindery and a part of technical services. Administrative offices, Newspapers and Periodicals Reading room with spaces for quiet study and the Collection of rare and valuable books and manuscripts RaRa are on the first floor. The RaRa collection includes incunabula dating from the 1487, valuable editions of the Croatian and European heritage and many glagolic scripts from the 16th century. Second floor accommodates the Acquisition and Processing Department, Reference Collection Reading room with spaces for quiet study, the LIS Collection and Local History Collection Zagrabiensia. Research and Development Department for public and school libraries and Financial and accounting Service are on the 3rd floor. Two main exhibition areas and galleries are in the entrance area and on the 3rd floor, while other places are multifunctional and can be used for various art and music event. Music Department and Department for Children and Young Adults are adjacent to the main library building. The Department for Children and Young Adults was founded in 1950 as first children’s library in Croatia. It also houses the Croatian Centre for Children’s Book that in 1995 became the Croatian section of IBBY and the
Media Department.
The City Library cooperates with local administration, many cultural, educational and professional institutions and associations and other interested partners, while more than 50 volunteers are actively included in various library programmes. Main goal is to provide better programmes and services for different library users (children, young adults, people with disabilities, elderly, etc.) that anticipate and satisfy their needs and encourage social inclusion. Recently developed and implemented programmes are: Zita Reads – I’m Your Dog, Read to me Aloud (for encouraging reading literacy with children), 65+ (for the elderly), A book for a Roof (for the homeless) and Library Doors Wide Open (for people with disabilities, such as Let’s Learn About Musical Instruments programme for the blind and visually impaired) that have been internationally recognized (e.g. programme A Book for a Roof has been awarded with the EIFL Public Library Innovation Programme for 2011/2012.).
Awards, case studies, further information
IRA Award for Innovative Reading Promotion (2001)
Charter of the City of Zagreb for 50th Anniversary of the Literary Friday (2005)
City of Zagreb Award (2007)
ERSTE Foundation Award for social inclusion projects in middle and South-East Europe (2007)
EIFL – Public Library Innovation Programme for 2011/2012
1001 Libraries to see before you die 