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The coming out of the new issue of The Voice of NUL
coincides with the moment of great importance for
the future of books and librarianship, in which we are
all anxious to see the outcome of complex issues surrounding
the interpretation of copyright legislation. The
principal task of the library profession is reflected in
librarians’ efforts to provide library users with free access
to information, regardless of the form that they appear
in. The modern age, in course of its natural development,
is becoming increasingly focused on digitization and
new media, and there is a need to create a suitable legal
framework which would account for this transition and
prevent any obstacle for users to acquire the information
that they need. The existing unsettled copyright issues
slow down and obstruct the digitization of works held by
libraries, so it is essential to resolve them in a way which
will suit all interested parties, i.e. libraries and their users,
as well as authors and publishers.
In her article Copyright and libraries today, Aleksandra
Horvat, Ph.D., Professor at the Department of Information
and Communication Sciences at the Faculty of
Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Zagreb,
also addresses this issue, drawing our attention to the
insufficiently firm legal standing of the book in the
digital environment. After giving a detailed overview of
the obstacles that the library profession is facing in the
21st century, she proposes specific efforts that librarians
should make to ensure that books and libraries have the
position that they deserve, today and in the future.
Breza Šalamon-Cindori and Renata Petrušić from the
National and University Library in Zagreb write about
special issues relating to works which are still protected
by copyright, but whose authors, i.e. copyright holders,
cannot be identified or located. Orphan works, as
this substantial collection of works held by libraries and
other institutions is called, represent one of the biggest
obstacles to a comprehensive approach to culture, art and
knowledge since, due to a possible copyright infringement,
they get left out of digitization projects.
In the atmosphere of general concern over the future of
books and libraries, the National and University Library
in Zagreb organized the Second Festival of Croatian Digitization
Projects and co-organized the special Book Night
programme, which was held in Croatia for the first time
this year on 23 April, the World Book and Copyright
Day. The strong response from libraries which took part
in this programme, especially island libraries as well as
those in smaller communities, has once again confirmed
that libraries in general play a significant role as centres
of culture and information and it is the task of all authorized
bodies to secure them a safe and fruitful future. Find
out more about the 2012 Book Night, Second Festival of
Croatian Digitization Projects, and many other events
at the National and University Library in Zagreb in our
Major events section.
Apart from being actively involved in the reinforcing
and promoting of the role of books, the National and
University Library in Zagreb is dedicated to giving the
best care to books which are part of its holdings, paying
special attention to treasures preserved in the Library’s
special collections. The NUL gems section brings the article
by Tatjana Mihalić, Head of the NUL Music Collection,
which introduces us to one of the treasures in this
Collection – Cithara octochorda, a printed collection of
liturgical songs and a valuable record of the rich liturgical
and musical tradition of the church of Zagreb.
One of the most significant aspects of proper care given
to books is their physical protection, especially the protection
of valuable materials, whose cultural and national
worth is in most cases incalculable. This responsibility
is undertaken by the Library’s Preservation Department
which this year celebrates its fiftieth anniversary. Dragica
Krstić, M.A., writes about the Department’s history and
the importance of its role for both the Library and Croatian
cultural heritage in our Great anniversaries section.
Prompted by the wish to promote and popularize materials
in our collections among the general public and being
aware that remaining hidden from public view they
cannot fulfil their true role, this year the Library drew on
its holdings to wish its users a happy Easter. Marking the
most significant Christian holiday, the Library organized
the exhibition of Easter cards preserved in its Print Collection.
Tamara Ilić-Olujić writes about this valuable and
interesting exhibition which took place between 10 and
20 April 2012.
Although we are deeply concerned for the future of the
book and its status in the modern world, we continue
to give the most dedicated care to our national cultural
heritage as well as to the requirements of our users, and
through our sustained efforts in organizing numerous
events and programmes in and out of the Library we
find reasons to believe in a better and brighter tomorrow.
We are glad that we may inform you of these endeavours
through The Voice of NUL and hope that it brings
us closer to fulfilling our role of the central information
centre in Croatia.
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