Hommage to the central library and central library services

Abstract

AbstractCentral libraries and their special activities were introduced in the first Slovenian Library Act in 1961. After 40 years, in 2001, they were terminated by the new Slovenian Library Act. Their activities should have promoted the development of librarianship and ensured a harmonised and professional functioning and development of the library system and particularly of public libraries. The services included monitoring the libraries, the collection of statistical data, consultations, professional education of library staff, support for the development of libraries and librarianship and preparation of drafts for library legislation. Municipal central (public) libraries, which should have promoted these activities and, at the same time, serve as model libraries, were, at the time of their introduction, advanced organisations. They accelerated the development of public libraries and of their networks, but they have never implemented demanding tasks, which were specified in the document issued in 1971, the Conception of the development of librarianship in Slovenia and in Librarianship Act 1982. The new library act omits the terms central library services and central library, but their special activities are preserved at the state as well as at the regional level.