The Professional Conference of the Slovenian Library Association at Maribor, The Habakuk Congress Centre, October 6–8, 2009

When more than twenty years ago the German Embassador of the states of previous Jugoslavia proposed to the International Office of libraries in Germany the scheme of an exchange of librarians on the base of the cultural agreement of both countries, she mentioned Maribor and the professional work experts were pursuing there on the field of communication technology and its application to libraries. Subsequently the international office the previous Bibliothekarische Auslandsstelle went to work and was sending a delegate from the Braunschweig Technical University to Maribor. This delegate returned quite stupified to Germany, telling that they are doing excellent work there and he wished that Braunschweig and Maribor colleagues should and could cooperate. This fine result from the first exchange however was difficult to pursue. Exchange of librarians could only follow on the strict base of political regulations. This regulations however prescribed that the partners of this exchange had to change from one state of this country to another and therefore prevented a cooperation of long duration necessary for a fruitful development. Colleagues from Germany regretted that due to these political rules a cooperation in work and research could not be developed well over a longer period.

Since these days passed by I had wanted to see Maribor. I liked the name and the environment, mountains and skiing it seemd to be a very beautiful city. Therefore it came as a wonderful suprise that the Library Assciation of Slovenia not only offered me the possiblity to introduce one of our most successful booklets in a Slovenain translation to the Slovenian colleagues but also to organize an exhibition there in order to introduce our products, professional literature there which will be now available in the National library free of access to all professionals provided they know German – except this little book, which was distributed to every member of the convention in his or her conference bag.

The head of the library association promised good weather and she kept her promise. It was not only a golden autumn day when all the librarians met at Habakuk Hotel it was warm and a good place to meet and chat with colleagues from all over the country. I wonder if many participants knew who Habakuk was, before being introduced to this hotel one of the oldest prophet and author of a book with the same title. It contains complaints about the sorrows of Israel and is announcing a tribunal for godles persons. What a name for a hotel and a place to choose for the convention of librarians. But as a place of lamenting about a national misfortune it might be well selected for a convention for librarians which was called added value to the environment.

The term of added value was introduced when information services and delivery promised to become part of a big business. This has proved in most cases as unrealistic not only in the Central European and Eastern Countries but also in those countries which introduced the first value added information services. Attempts to sell and purchase information services are numerous but they are not driving big business but becoming part of an overall information services in numerous kinds and offers.

Therefore the motto was well chosen. Libraries in all kind and especially the persons which deliver the services of libraries the librarians, may it be in a municipal library, in a university library or in that of a corperation are adding value to their home institution – to their environment. The motto does not mean the enclosed library with poor opening hours but an outgoing lively institution which offers its service to all in their environment adding value to the development of its community and their people.

Libraries their role and influence at the national and local level as well as Libraries added value to the enviroment show the direction of the papers of the first day of this conference.

Culture and Economy – Challenges for Libraries concentrated on the process of the invention – innovation and diffusion process. The different layers of culture for the development of economy have been an ongoing topic. It is foreseeable that in time to come we will experience more relation between culture and economy as we see today. It is not as simple that culture drives the economy and vice versa – but the inputs of culture in the development of economy are numerous and manifold.

Libraries meeting environmental needs – a seminar was in the hub of the conference. It was asking if librarians really know their envirnoment subsequently adding to the social networking in their environment. Libraries are social instituions in the best meaning of the word, contributing to the cohesion of the society and working as a central and coordinating body for such networking. Librarians should not become competitors of google but should be the experts in providing information by suitable and appropriate searching machines – otherwise libraries will lose one of their most important roles.Teaching information literacy and the partners in this process played also a great role in the discussions of the librarians.

Libraries and librarians are adding value to the envirnoment of their institutions. They are providing information, are keeping the cultural heritage and are together with partners teaching information literacy so that this key competence will be developed up to the social, cultural and economical success of a country. The convention of the Library Association of Slovenia showed that the professionals are going to define their modern role for their environment and that they will keeping up to pursue it.

What a difference to the situation described in the first sentences – political regulations preventing librarians to work for their international environment and therefore not being able to work for the highest quality for the devlopment of their envirnoment.

Elisabeth Simon 
October 2009