The National and University Library in Zagreb (NSK) is Croatia’s leading cultural and research institution and the central institution of the Croatian national library system, operating both as the national library of the Republic of Croatia and the main library of the University of Zagreb.  

Members of the staff of the National and University Library in Zagreb at various activities.

The Library’s activities as well as its tasks and related operations are regulated by the Croatian library act (Zakon o knjižnicama i knjižničnoj djelatnosti, NN (Official Gazette) 17/2019, higher education and research act (Zakon o visokom obrazovanju i znanstvenoj djelatnosti, NN (Official Gazette) 119/2022) and the provisions of related implementing acts and those contained in the Library’s current, 2019 statute (Statut Nacionalne i sveučilišne knjižnice u Zagrebu). 

NSK runs all its programmes and activities in line with its current development strategy, NSK Development Strategy 2026.

NSK’s basic activities and special tasks

Providing library and information services and conducting related research and development-oriented activities are the basic activities of the National and University Library in Zagreb. Resulting from them are many other activities and general and special tasks and operations, among which the following particularly stand out:  

  • activities and tasks resulting from the Library’s role as the national information and bibliographic centre 
  • activities and tasks resulting from the Library’s role as the central institution of Croatia’s library and information system 
  • activities and tasks resulting from the Library’s role as Croatia’s main central library  
  • developing Croatica, Croatia’s national library collection, as a cultural asset  
  • compiling and publishing Croatia’s current and retrospective national bibliographies  
  • developing and maintaining Croatia’s national library catalogue and union catalogues   
  • organising legal deposit procedures    
  • developing the Croatian Digital Library system  
  • developing a representative collection of foreign academic and specialised book titles, serial publications and other information sources  
  • providing access to electronic resources offering scientific and specialised information for the Croatian academic community and researchers   
  • developing Croatia’s national system for the protection and long-term preservation of cultural and scientific heritage preserved as part of library collections  
  • organising and running continuing professional development programmes for Croatia’s library professionals  
  • conducting and stimulating research and development-oriented activities in Croatia’s library sector   
  • publishing, organising exhibitions and promotional activities.  

NSK, the National and University Library in Zagreb, collects, protects, preserves, catalogues, makes available and promotes Croatia’s rich and cultural and scientific heritage and develops and advances the library profession in Croatia.