Information, reference and document supply ‐ new priorities for national libraries

Discusses the fact that national libraries are mainly thought of as symbols of national pride but otherwise may be considered to be incapable of meeting a nation’s information needs. The maintenance of the nation’s reserve collection of books was in the past, and still remains, their principal task. Before we can study the way in which a society regards its libraries, we have to consider those elements which make up their infrastructure, and the environment in which other services and products germinate and prosper. The wealth of a country depends on its economy; the fact that good information is needed for industrial growth and for economic and social development, gives added value to information and reference resources, and the document supply services that a library provides. Analyses the present situation concerning the Croatian library infrastructure and considers future plans for services that could be organised within the National and University Library.