People with special needs as users higher education libraries - Croatian examples of good practice

Cilj diplomskog rada je prikazati sve važnije dokumente iz područja međunarodnog i hrvatskog zakonodavstva kao i mogućnosti i prava osoba s posebnim potrebama. Pregledom važnih dokumenata utjecajnih međunarodnih organizacija donesenih krajem prošlog stoljeća i početkom ovoga knjižnica je opisana kao ustanova čija je zadaća brinuti se za potrebe stanovnika na područjima obrazovanja i kulture u sredini kojoj se nalazi. Kako bi se osigurao glas ove ranjive skupine u društvu, potrebno im je osigurati pravu informaciju u obliku koji im je razumljiv. U radu su potom iznesene razne smjernice koje vode knjižnjičare u radu s osobama s posebnim potrebama kao i usluge koje su im dostupne. Također, uvidom u mrežne stranice knjižnica pet najvećih fakulteta u Hrvatskoj dolazi se do zaključka kako se studentima s posebnim potrebama, u visokoškolskom obrazovanju, a onda i u visokoškolskim knjižnicama još uvijek daje premalo pozornosti. Provedeno istraživanje pokazalo je kako potrebne usluge tim studentima omogućava samo jedna knjižnica od njih pet koje su proučavane.The aim of the graudate thesis is to present the main documents in the field of international and Croatian legislation as well as the possibilities and rights of people with special needs. A review of important documents of influential international organizations adopted at the end of the last century and the beginning of this is that library is described as an institution whose task is to take care of the needs of residents in the fields of education and culture in their environment. In order to ensure the voice of this vulnerable group in society, they need to be provided with the right information in a form that is understandable to them. The paper then presents various guidelines that guide librarians in working with people with special needs, as well as the services available to them. Also, a look at the websites of the libraries of the five largest faculties in Croatia leads to the conclusion that students with special needs are still given too little attention in higher education and then also in higher education libraries. The conducted research showed that the necessary services are enabled to students with special needs by only one library out of the five that were studied