The Purchase of Books for Libraries in Discrepancy With Small Libraries Users’ Needs

Abstract

The library in Kladovo is among only four Serbian libraries that include mobile library (in a bus) known as bibliobus. Kladovo’s bibliobus has been operating since 2010, and 95% of its users are children under the age of 14, so that the most used and the most needed library material is children’s literature. The purchase of publications for libraries by the Ministry of Culture and Information of Republic of Serbia used to be a very significant means of books acquisition for bibliobus users, but this year it has not been the case. Only 1% of the budget allocated to the library has been allotted to its bibliobus, instead of up to 50% as in previous years. In 2019, only 6 books were actually ordered for the bibliobus, and all the other purchased books were obligatory, not chosen by librarians. Thus, the paper shows why the current model of purchase is absolutely inconvenient for smaller libraries and bibliobuses. The author thinks that if librarians could freely choose the titles for their libraries, with the Comission in the advisory role, the purchase of publications for libraries would be better and more effective.