The network of Slovene libraries provides a comprehensive range of library books to the broadest circle of inhabitants of Slovenia. The round table discussion will look at the contribution of librarians who plan, organise and implement library programmes in different types of libraries according to the different needs of users visiting each type of library. We will also discuss the connective function of libraries and reveal the formula behind the superpower of libraries.
Moderator Sabina Fras Popović
Sabina Fras Popović, assistant professor in the field of librarianship, working since February 2023 at the Department of Library and Information Science and Book Studies at the University of Ljubljana. Prior to this she worked in general libraries for more than twenty years, running various activities to promote and encourage reading. She is part of the editorial team at the journal Knjižnica (Library) and the portal Družinska pismenost (Family Literacy). For her work she has received the Slovenian Section of IBBY Award, the Kalan Fund Award, the Čop Prize, and the 2024 Čop Lifetime Achievement Award.
Participants:
Representative of school libraries: Metka Kostanjevec
Metka Kostanjevec is a professor of Slovene language and head of the school library at the First Grammar School in Maribor. A member of numerous Slovene and international associations (Slovenian Library Association, International Federation of Library Associations, Slovenian Reading Badge Society, Slovenian Section of IBBY), as well as member of the expert development group for library activities at the National Education Institute, the editorial board of the journal Šolska knjižnica (School Library), and the program committee of the Slovenian Reading Badge Society. At the school where she works, she successfully manages various reading projects and also participates in national and international projects promoting reading (Growing with a Book, National Month of Reading Together, Month of School Libraries, Reading Mountains, EPAS – School Ambassador of the European Parliament). She places particular emphasis on intergenerational reading.
Representative of public libraries: Polonca Kavčič
Polonca Kavčič, national coordinator of central regional libraries at the France Bevk Public Library in Nova Gorica where she has worked since September 2010. For 10 years she was the coordinator of regional tasks at the central regional library, highlighting her editorial role at the web portal for readers and book recommendations Dobreknjige.si (Good books). In her new role as national central regional libraries coordinator since 2023, she focuses on collaborating with multiple stakeholders to achieve common goals such as creating an efficient and high-quality development approach, and addressing the needs of every modern, proactive public library. She is a member of the Public Libraries Section at the Slovenian Library Association and serves as the head of the editorial board at the library and information science journal Knjižnica (Library).
Representative of specialised libraries: Aksinja Kermauner
Aksinja Kermauner is a professor of Slovene language, fine arts, typhlopedagogue, writer and poet. For 25 years she taught at the Institute for Blind and Visually Impaired Youth in Ljubljana (today IRIS Centre). In 2010 she received her PhD from the Department of Special and Rehabilitation Pedagogy at the Faculty of Education at the University of Ljubljana, and after that lectured on inclusive pedagogy at the Faculty of Education at the University of Primorska and the University of Maribor. She has published 42 books of fiction for children, youth and adults, many professional articles, and three monographs on the subject of people with special needs. She leads many projects aimed at improving the inclusion of people with disabilities into society. She is a member of the Slovene Writers’ Association and vice-president of the Slovene Association of Special and Rehabilitation Educators.
Representative of the Slovene National and Study Library in Trieste: Ivana Soban
Ivana Soban is a librarian at the children’s and YA section at the Slovene National and Study Library in Trieste, the main library for Slovenes in Italy, the main role of which is to provide Slovene books and promote Slovene literature and language in a multilingual environment. In the youth section she looks after basic library activities and the organisation of events such as fairy tale hours, meetings of the Rojeni za branje/Nati per leggere (Born to Read) project, biblio-pedagogic meetings, opening exhibitions of local artists, lectures for parents and more. She studied comparative literature and Polish language and literature, and completed specialised courses in librarianship. She regularly collaborates with the children's literary magazine Galeb, published in Trieste for sixty years.