mission | goals | activities | foundations and awards | sections | events | history
Name: Slovenian Library AssociationShort name: ZBDSTIN: 93212151Bank account: 02010-0014608845
Damjana Vovk, presidentLuana Malec, vice presidentNeža Podjavoršek, vice president
Slovenian Library AssociationTurjaška 1 SI-1000 Ljubljana
E-mail: info@zbds-zveza.si 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:
Special achievements in library science and profession are acknowledged by the Slovenian Library Association with the Čop award (»diploma«) and Čop certificate of recognition as well as with the Kalan Foundation awards. The Čop awards and Čop certificates of recognition are the highest national recognition for exceptional achievements in library science and profession which are of wider social significance and contribute to the development of the library profession. The purpose of the Kalan Foundation awards is to encourage production and publication of professional and scholarly works in library and information science, while Stepišnik Foundation aims to foster development, professional work and promotion of mobile libraries.
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.
Libraries`Proactive Activities
The conference will be held in an online environment, in Zoom Events, from September 21st to September 23rd, 2022.
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 21 December 1947, the founding meeting of the Slovenian Librarians' Association was held at the National and University Library. The first Chairman was dr. Mirko Rupel, and on 22 December the first regular annual meeting of the association took place. The association had 75 members – library employees.
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. The trade union had 158, and the association 132 members. The association comprised professional sections for science libraries, public libraries and bibliography.
In 1957 the association published the first volume of its journal »Knjižnica« (The Library). Its first editor was Maks Veselko, and the editorial board consisted of the association section heads.
In 1956 a regional branch was established in Celje. In 1959 the umbrella association abandoned trade union functions and was reorganised to comprise four regional associations (Ljubljana, Celje, Maribor, Ravne) 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 organization structure was changed to allow the establishment of independent library associations in all 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, in the regions of Gorenjska, Primorska and Mežiška valley, while in Celje, Novo mesto and Murska Sobota the regional branches of the umbrella association continued to operate.
In 1988, at the 6th assembly meeting of SLA in Otočec, the document »Professional Criteria and Standards for University Libraries« was adopted. In 1990 in Nova Gorica the Standards for Special Libraries were adopted, followed by the Code of Ethics of Slovenian librarians (1995, Bled), and the SLA Development of Slovenian Libraries and Librarianship Manifesto (2004, Ljubljana).
Following the adoption of the new statute in the SLA assembly meeting on 27 March 2009, the organisation of the Union was changed. Now SLA has almost 1300 members. Its activities have been financed by the Ministry of Culture, and publication of the Library journal in its printed and electronic form has been supported by the Slovenian Book Agency. The official seat of the Union is still at the National and University Library in Ljubljana.
