engleski

The Role of Academic Libraries in Scientific Production Evaluation – the Experience of University of Zagreb, Croatia

Since internationally visible scientific productivity is a criterion for the state evaluation of Croatian academic and scientific institutions and their scientists, Croatian academic libraries have a key role to play in the quantitative evaluation of scientific productivity using modern methods such as bibliometrics, scientometrics and the like. In this paper we present the services used in the quantitative assessment of academic productivity in the academic libraries of the University of Zagreb. Consisting of 31 faculties and 3 art academies, the University of Zagreb is the largest university in Croatia. With its tradition since 1669, it is one of the oldest universities in Europe. The theoretical framework of the paper is based on four areas defined by Christine L. Borgman – the characteristics of the scientific community, the development of that community, the evaluation of scientific ideas and the dissemination of scientific ideas. The research will use a qualitative methodology that will examine the current situation at the University of Zagreb, the possibility of further developing this type of library service and the necessary knowledge that librarians in academic libraries should have. The research will analyse important national documents that define the assessment system at the University of Zagreb and the current state of such services in the libraries (such as the Ordinance on Scientific Promotion and Advancement Requirements Scientific Titles, draft Standards for Higher Education Libraries in The Republic of Croatia, the Quality Assurance Strategy of the University of Zagreb). The research will use the method of content analysis of these acts and library study programmes, the survey method, and the interview method. The survey method and the interview method will be used to determine the number of libraries at the University of Zagreb that offer services for quantitative evaluation of scientific productivity. It also aims to determine how the libraries are organised in terms of scientific productivity evaluation and what competences the librarians need for this type of service. The sample consists of 39 academic libraries operating at 31 faculties and 3 academies of the University of Zagreb. The aim of the study is to identify and illustrate the current situation in Croatia and provide recommendations for further development of scientific production evaluation, which could serve as a framework for the systematic introduction of this type of service in all libraries of the University of Zagreb, and wider. In addition, the identification of the required competences of librarians can provide guidelines for further improvement of lifelong education of librarians as well as recommendations for library study programmes in Croatia. The recommendations may also be potentially applicable to the international community of academic librarians.

scientific productivity evaluation ; academic libraries ; University of Zagreb, Croatia

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