mission | goals | activities | sections | events | foundations and awards | publications | history
Name: Slovenian Library AssociationShort name: ZBDSTIN: 93212151Bank account: 02010-0014608845
Damjana Vovk, president Magdalena Svetina Terčon, vice presidentNeža Podjavoršek, vice president
Slovenian Library AssociationTurjaška 1 SI-1000 Ljubljana
E-mail: *protected email* Phone: + 386 1 2001 176
The Slovenian Library Association (SLA, name in Slovenian: Zveza bibliotekarskih društev Slovenije – ZBDS) is a voluntary, non-governmental and non-profit professional association which joins library as well as other professional associations, legal persons governed by private law and individuals working in library and information fields in the Republic of Slovenia and abroad. Currently SLA comprises eight regional library associations (Ljubljana, Maribor, Celje, Koroška, Gorenjska, Pomurje, Primorska, Dolenjska) and unites over 1300 Slovenian librarians. Associations and other entities have joined SLA in order to accelerate the development of library profession and services as well as to reinforce the position of librarianship in the society. They co-operate and co-ordinate their activities, discuss and resolve professional issues of common significance, participate in the development of library services, libraries and library system in Slovenia, and ensure professional integrity of library employees in Slovenia. In its efforts, the Union aims to achieve the highest possible level of professional activities and to enable the development and protection of democratic principles of the wider social community.
The principal goals of SLA are
In order to fulfil its mission and reach its goals, SLA performs the following activities:
Sections are permanent working bodies of the Slovenian Library Association and are organised by library types and activities. Their task is to study and resolve theoretic and practical issues in individual fields of library and information services as well as to co-ordinate professional work within their specific area.
The goal of the Local studies and cultural heritage section is to offer professional support and networking opportunities to librarians working in the field of local studies. The section also maintains cooperation between libraries and museums, archives, galleries and other similar organisations. Klaudija Sedar, president *protected email*
The Training and human resources section focuses on training and educating library employees. Mateja Lesar, president *protected email*
The Youth libraries section provides support to library staff in the field of youth librarianship. Its focus is on the children and parents, youth librarians and professional staff as well as the youth departments of public libraries and their managers. The section publishes the newsletter SeM@FoR. Lavra Tinta, president *protected email*
The Mobile libraries section connects Slovenian mobile libraries and their librarians and spreads awareness on the importance of mobile libraries in the modern world. To that end it engages in exchanging practices and information on mobile libraries and community building. It publishes the newspaper Potujoče novice. Matjaž Stibilj, president *protected email*
The activities of the Promotion and marketing section are focused on maximising the visibility of the library profession among users and librarians. It does so by highlighting good library practises at home and abroad, as well as by organising promotional campaigns and staff training. Saša Vidmar, president *protected email*
The Special libraries section was founded to address the issues and needs of library information experts working in corporations, research institutes, government agencies, healthcare facilities, museums and other organisations. The section also exists to represent the interests of those working in special libraries and engage in cooperation and exchanging information. In addition, it collaborates in setting up the wider Slovenian library network and information system. Barbara Kavčič, president *protected email*
The Public libraries section promotes the activities of public libraries and spreads awareness of their importance in the modern Slovenian society. It facilitates the development of public libraries and their services, including services for users with special needs. The section also engages in setting up partnerships with librarians and organisations in local areas. Luana Malec, president *protected email*
As the name implies, the School libraries section focuses on addressing issues in the field of school libraries and representing the interests of school librarians in communication with the Ministry of Education of Slovenia. Andreja Urbanec, president *protected email*
The Academic libraries section covers the field of academic librarianship. It represents the interests of librarians working in academic and university libraries and helps to establish cooperation between librarians and educators in academic environments. Ines Grlj, president *protected email*
The Library and information science students' section helps the students of library science to connect with the library profession and to acquire knowledge and experience outside of the faculty. Additionally, the section helps to connect the students of library science inside and outside of Slovenia. Members of the section attend the international conference Bobcatsss and publish the student magazine Štubidu. Luka Oprešnik, president *protected email*
Libraries`Proactive Activities
Meeting of SLA sections 2023, September 20 – 22, 2023, Izum Maribor + in an online environment
The SLA Conference that took place in 2022 focused primarily on the theoretical aspect of proactive library activities. The plan for the Meeting of SLA sections 2023, which will take place between the 20th and 22nd of September 2023 in hybrid form in Maribor, is to highlight the practical aspect of proactivity by showing off good library practices.
The Čop Awards are the most prestigious awards, meant to commemorate outstanding achievements in the field of librarianship. There are three types of Čop Awards: Čop Diplomas (Čopove diplome), Čop Acknowledgements (Čopova priznanja) and Čop Plaquettes (Čopove plakete). The Čop Diplomas are lifetime achievement awards for librarianship. They can only be received once by full or honorary members of the SLA. The Čop Acknowledgements are awarded for special professional achievements with regard to the popularisation of librarianship, the maintaining of the public reputation of libraries, librarians and the library profession and the development of librarianship as a whole. They can be received one or more times by full or honorary members of the SLA and occasionally by other organisations and their members, who support the SLA or the field of librarianship as a whole. The Čop Plaquettes are awarded to supporters of the SLA (sponsors, donators, associations, foundations etc.). E-mail: *protected email*
The Goropevšek Awards are national awards for outstanding achievements in the field of local studies and cultural heritage. There are two types of Goropevšek Awards: Goropevšek Acknowledgements (Goropevškova priznanja) and Goropevšek Charters (Goropevškove listine). The Goropevšek Acknowledgements are awarded to members of the Local studies and cultural heritage section of the SLA for important contributions to the local studies field. They can only be received once. The Goropevšek Charters are awarded to individuals and organisations (partners, supporters, sponsors and donators), who support the activities of the Section. They can be received more than once. E-mail: *protected email*
The Bruno Hartman Memorial Fund, named after the famed Slovenian librarian Bruno Hartman, was created to encourage the doctoral study of library science. It offers scholarships to doctoral students of library science who are active members of library associations and who actively contribute to the field. E-mail: *protected email*
The Kalan Fund is a memorial fund named after the librarian and educator Pavle Kalan. Founded in 1974, its purpose is to facilitate the professional, theoretical and research work of Slovenian librarians. The Kalan Fund Awards are bi-annual awards received by Slovenian library workers for written scientific or professional works that contribute to the theoretical and practical aspect of library and information science and librarianship. E-mail: *protected email*
The Stepišnik Fund is named after Lovro Stepišnik, the founder of the first Slovenian mobile library and the first mobile librarian not only in Slovenia but in the wider Balkan area. The Fund, operational since 1998, is meant to facilitate the development, professional activity and promotion of mobile librarianship by offering funds for research projects, professional meetings and promotional materials. E-mail: *protected email*
The Golden Pear Acknowledgements or "The Golden Pears" for short are annual occupational acknowledgements for the best books for children and youths. Since 2021, they are awarded jointly by the SLA and the Ljubljana City Library (Mestna knjižnica Ljubljana - MKL). They are awarded on the 13th of November - on World Kindness Day. E-mail: *protected email*
The most important journal for library and information science in Slovenia, active since 1957. ISSN 0023-2424, e-ISSN 1581-7903
The professional newspaper of the Mobile libraries section. ISSN 1855-1718
Newsletter published by the Youth libraries section. ISSN 2738-6252
The bulletin of the School libraries section.
A magazine published by the Library and information science students' section.
Guidelines and standardsProceedings Monographs Brochures and pamphlets
In December 1946, the first conference of Slovenian librarians was organised in Ljubljana and the initiative committee for establishment of the professional association was founded. The members of the initiative committee were: Dušan Ludvik, dr. Melitta Pivec-Stele and Vasilij Melik.
On the 21st of December 1947, the Association of Slovenian Librarians (Društvo bibliotekarjev Slovenije) was founded in the hall of the National and University Library in Ljubljana. Its first chairman was Mirko Rupel. The newly created association had 75 members.
In March 1950, the section for public libraries was founded, led by Roza Mencin. In the meeting in May, six professional committees were established. In the same year, the association introduced member cards for its 136 members.
In February 1954, the new association rules were adopted and as the association assumed the trade union tasks, trade union branches were established in Ljubljana and Maribor. At this time, three professional sections were active: the section for science libraries, the section for public libraries and the section for bibliography.
In 1957 the association published the first volume of the professional library journal "Knjižnica" (The Library). Its first managing editor was Maks Veselko and the editorial board consisted of the heads of the association's sections.
In 1956 a regional branch was established in Celje. In 1959 the umbrella association abandoned the trade union functions and was reorganised to comprise four regional associations (Ljubljana, Celje, Maribor, Ravne na Koroškem) and nine commissioned bodies (Kranj, Novo mesto, Jesenice, Murska Sobota, Brežice, Koper, Nova Gorica, Tolmin, Vrhnika).
By 1965 the association had 403 active members. In 1967 the 18th general meeting and conference took place in Celje. Following the decision adopted by the participants, the association’s organisation structure was changed to allow the establishment of independent library associations in all the major regions of Slovenia.The new statute of the association was adopted and 36 Čop awards (“diplomas”) were granted (the first winner of Čop's diploma was Vlado Novak, director of the Celje Central Library).
In 1968 independent library associations were founded in Maribor, Ljubljana and in the regions of Gorenjska, Primorska and the Mežiška valley, while in Celje, Novo mesto and Murska Sobota the regional branches of the umbrella association continued to operate.
In 1981 the association was comprised of 8 regional library associations with around 1000 members in total. In the May of 1983, the regional library associations banded together to form the Slovenian Library Association as it is known today.
In 1988, at the 6th assembly meeting of SLA in Otočec, the document »Professional Criteria and Standards for University Libraries« was adopted.
In 1992, following the dissolution of Yugoslavia and the declaration of Slovenia's independence, IFLA recognised the SLA as an independent organization.
In 1995 the Code of Ethics for Slovenian Librarians was adopted in Bled, followed by the SLA Slovenian Libraries and Librarianship Development Manifesto in Ljubljana in 2004.
Following the adoption of the new statute in the SLA assembly meeting on 27 March 2009, the organisation of the SLA was changed.
Currently, the SLA connects almost 1300 librarians. Its activities have been financed by the Ministry of Culture. The official seat of the SLA is still at the National and University Library in Ljubljana. The SLA is an active member of IFLA, EBLIDA in IBBY.
