IMPROVING LIBRARY AND INFORMATION SERVICES - BUILDING VIRTUAL LIBRARY COMMUNITY

Jadranka Stojanovski
Ruder Boskovic Institute

This work represents the thoughts and experiences of librarians on the changing role of libraries in a global networked community. The library - information centre is a comprehensive facility that provides users with access to information, and library materials within and beyond the library walls. Relating the experiences SZI project, this presentation identifies the issues, current problems, and solutions involved in developing such a community. SZI project embraces at the moment eighty Croatian academic and special libraries working together trying to reach the highest level in library development.
The main intention of such a project is to improve the existing and to introduce new library an information services as access to the electronic materials (books, journals etc.), virtual reference desk, digital reference service, user education (including distance learning), electronic publishing etc.