Multicultural services in public libraries regarding immigrant integration

Multikulturalnost je neizbježna činjenica suvremenoga svijeta. Taj fenomen predstavlja izazove na svim područjima društvenoga života pa tako i u poslovanju narodnih knjižnica. Ovaj se rad bavi multikulturalnim uslugama u narodnim knjižnicama, a da bi se shvatila kompleksnost toga problema, najprije se objašnjavaju pojmovi kulture, multikulturalizma i interkulturalnog odgoja kao i uzroci pojave multikulturalizma poput migracija i globalizacije. Cilj je rada predstaviti primjere dobre prakse na području multikulturalnih usluga u knjižnicama koji bi poslužili kao putokaz knjižničarima u narodnim knjižnicama u Hrvatskoj jer, iako začetci takvih usluga postoje u nekim našim knjižnicama, to je još uvijek prilično zanemareno područje. To je pokazala i anketa provedena među hrvatskim knjižničarima. Za analizu primjera dobre prakse korištena je vrsta analize sadržaja, odnosno, vrsta komparativne studije, a kao instrument upotrijebljen je protokol za analizu sadržaja. Taj je dio istraživanja pokazao da mnoge europske knjižnice pružaju raznovrsne multikulturalne usluge koje se lako mogu implementirati. Rezultati ankete pokazali su da se većina knjižničara u narodnim knjižnicama u Hrvatskoj ne smatra pripremljenima za pružanje usluga imigrantima, da se dosad još nisu susreli s takvim skupinama korisnika te da se u knjižnicama ne razmišlja o proširenju usluga za njih. Baš zato smjernice proizašle iz istraživanja mogu poslužiti kao pomoć hrvatskim knjižničarima pri oblikovanju novih multikulturalnih aktivnosti i usluga, a to je nešto što ih zasigurno očekuje u skoroj budućnosti.Multiculturalism is an inevitable fact of the contemporary world. This phenomenon presents challenges to every aspect of social life, including public libraries’ management. This paper deals with multicultural services in public libraries. In order to understand the complexity of the problem, firstly, terms culture, multiculturalism and intercultural education are defined, as well as the causes for multiculturalism to arise, such as migration and globalization. This paper’s aim is to present examples of good practice in the field of multicultural services in public libraries, which may serve as guidelines to public libraries in Croatia. Even though some of our libraries are in the onset phase of introducing such services, this continues to be a neglected area of their business. Results obtained by a questionnaire that was distributed to Croatian libraries support this claim. Method used to analyze examples of good practice was a type of content analysis, i.e. of comparative study. The protocol for content analysis was used as the instrument in this research. This part of the research showed that many European libraries offer a variety of multicultural services that can easily be implemented. Results of the questionnaire showed that the majority of librarians in Croatian public libraries did not consider themselves to be prepared to offer any services to the immigrant population. Also, it showed their lack of contact with such users, as well as the fact that these libraries are not considering the expansion of their services to meet the immigrants’ needs. Thus, the guidelines resulting from this research may help Croatian librarians in creation of new multicultural activities and services, which definitely awaits them in the near future