Foreign language workshops in zagreb city libraries: Examples from vladimir nazor library, marin drŽiĆ library, silvije strahimir kranjČeviĆ library and ante kovaČiĆ city library

Abstract

Objective. The objective of this paper is to present an overview and an analysis of the continuous foreign language workshops, free for all library members, which were held by the end of 2018 in the Zagreb City Libraries, in three networks of branch libraries: Vladimir Nazor Library, Marin Držić Library, Silvije Strahimir Kranjčević Library and the branch library Ante Kovačić City Library. Methodology. The data for this research were collected from the annual reports of the Zagreb City Libraries, scientific and professional papers, interviews with library directors and/or coordinators, followed by the data analysis according to the number of libraries that organize and conduct workshops, the number of the workshops and participants, type of participants (children/adults), languages taught, and the expertise of the workshop leaders. Findings. The research shows that in the period from 2011 to 2018, 1402 foreign language workshops were held in the named branch libraries, 839 for adults and 563 for children, with the total of 15,531 participants. The most represented languages were Italian (57.8%), English (35.8%), followed by German (5.1%), Russian (0.7%), and French (0.6%). The workshop leaders were volunteers or librarians employed in the libraries in which workshops were held. Most of the workshops were held by foreign language teachers (62.4%) and 37.6% by volunteers or librarians who are fluent in the foreign languages they taught. Social implications. Following the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development goals as well as guidelines and trends in public library management, the Zagreb City Libraries strive to be the place which supports the personal growth of the great number of people, primarily in acquiring essential knowledge necessary for gaining competitive advantage in the modern society, creating opportunities for social networking, and reducing social isolation. The workshops contribute to inclusion, equalize opportunities for participants of all economic groups, and provide access to non-formal but high quality education. The originality/value. Numerous libraries from the Zagreb City Libraries network have been organizing foreign language workshops for years. This is the first overview and the analysis of the workshops in four branch libraries, i.e. their networks, which could serve as a basis for further evaluation and a more detailed analysis, and encourage other libraries and institutions to organize and implement similar inclusive activities.