Croatian Libraries Day: Croatian Library Association presents Library of the Year Award 2025

Objavljeno: 11.11.2025

The participants in the 2025 General Assembly of the Croatian Library Association.

At its 50^th General Assembly and as part of the celebration of the Croatian Libraries Day, traditionally marked during the Croatian Book Month, the Croatian Library Association announced the winners of the 2025 Library of the Year Award.

Celebrated on the Association’s initiative since 2010, the Croatian Libraries Day is marked on 11 November, on the anniversary of the passing in 1960 of the first Croatian library act, which set the legal framework necessary for a planned and systematic operation and development of all types of libraries in Croatia and all key elements making up the Croatian national library system.

The central event of the Day’s celebration is the Association’s announcement of the winners of the Library of the Year Award, which was this year presented on the first day of the Association’s General Assembly. Hosted by NSK, the National and University Library in Zagreb, the Assembly’s 50^th edition also marks 85 years since the Association’s founding.

The most creative and innovative Croatian libraries in 2025

The 2025 Library of the Year Award was presented to the staff of the Ivan Goran Kovačić City Library in Karlovac and the Donji Miholjac City Library. Awarded for outstanding achievement and creative, innovative and progressive contribution to the development and improvement of the work of libraries in Croatia, the accolade has been around since 2012.

The winners of the Croatian 2025 Library of the Year Award.

Also, this year’s award ceremony included the presentation of a special certificate of appreciation to currently the oldest Croatian librarian Branko Tomečak.

Currently the oldest Croatian librarian Branko Tomečak gets a special certificate of appreciation from the Croatian Library Association. — Currently the oldest Croatian librarian Branko Tomečak receives the Croatian Library Association’s special certificate of appreciation.

The Croatian Library Association’s first 85 years

This year, the celebration of the Croatian Libraries Day coincides with the 85^th anniversary of the Association’s activity.

President of he Croatian Library Association Jasenka Pleško. — President of the Croatian Library Association Jasenka Pleško and President of the Zagreb Library Association Mihael Bily.

President of the Croatian Library Association Jasenka Pleško and President of the Zagreb Library Association Mihael Bily.

The programme of the anniversary’s observation as part of the Assembly included addresses by the Association’s President Jasenka Pleško, President of the Zagreb Library Association Mihael Bily, NSK Assistant Director General for University Library Affairs Dr Dijana Machala and State Secretary at the Croatian Ministry of Culture and Media Dražena Vrselja.

NSK Assistant Director General for University Library Affairs Dr Dijana Machala. — NSK Assistant Director General for University Library Affairs Dr Dijana Machala and State Secretary at the Croatian Ministry of Culture and Media Dražena Vrselja.

NSK Assistant Director General for University Library Affairs Dr Dijana Machala and State Secretary at the Croatian Ministry of Culture and Media Dražena Vrselja.

In addition to an overview of the Association’s achievements since its founding, the programme spotlighted the guidelines for its development in the future and through a lecture by a Research Associate at the Zagreb Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computing and longtime ICT professional Predrag Pale brought attention to the challenges facing the library community.

Photo: © NSK