The purpose of the article is to consider the state of librarianship in Croatia during the Croatian War (1991-1995) and to study the experience of post-war restoration. The methodological basis of the study is the general scientific principles of integrity, objectivity, complexity, continuity and comprehensiveness of knowledge. From the standpoint of scientific methodology, the problem is considered on the basis of a systemic, interdisciplinary and historical approaches. The achievement of the set goal was carried out using a system of general scientific and special methods: theoretical (analysis, synthesis, abstraction, explanation, generalization, etc.), empirical (description, comparison, observation), historical-comparative, problem-chronological, identification and analysis of sources, and others. Finding. In Ukrainian library science, the losses and destruction, the functioning of libraries, the work of librarians and the state of librarianship in Croatia during the Croatian War of 1991-1995 and the experience of post-war restoration are studied for the first time. Practical value. Studying foreign experience and strategies for post-war library restoration is of great importance for Ukraine. The successes and failures of complex strategies and individual projects for library restoration in Croatia require careful study. This will allow avoiding mistakes in our own activities for the post-war restoration of society in general and library work in particular. Results. The Croatian War caused significant human casualties and material destruction. The consequences of this war still affect the culture and politics of the country. The attacks on libraries that occurred during the Croatian War were both incidental and intentional, conscious war crimes against culture. The fact that libraries were targeted is a clear indication of their importance to society. The library sector in Croatia suffered serious losses. During the war, more than 200 libraries were destroyed or damaged throughout the country: school, public, academic, scientific, memorial, private. Libraries in Eastern, Central and Southern Croatia suffered the most. The aggression was most brutal in Slavonia, in the northeast of the country, and Dalmatia, in the southeast. Library collections were significantly devastated; many buildings were destroyed or damaged. The problem of preserving the library resources that were saved in proper conditions became urgent. Practice has confirmed the necessity of documenting losses and preventive measures to preserve intellectual and cultural heritage. Despite difficult and dangerous conditions, Croatian libraries provided services to users throughout the war and became an important and valuable public resource and place of resistance. Even during the war, a number of projects and initiatives were launched to restore library collections and buildings lost or damaged during the war. The second half of the 1990s was marked by a rethinking of the place and role of Croatian libraries in society in the context of reconstruction. International support was significant. International organizations, foundations, foreign libraries and colleagues provided significant assistance in restoring Croatian libraries. Croatia’s experience has shown that in addition to financial and material assistance, the world community must respond in an organized, effective and fair manner to crimes against humanity and culture and violations of international conventions, such as the destruction of libraries. The attacks on libraries during the Croatian War occurred despite the fact that the buildings were marked with the international monument protection emblem. Although the aftermath of the Yugoslav wars prompted the international community to urgently reassess how cultural property could be protected during conflict, and led to more specific recognition by international humanitarian law that the destruction of a human cultural heritage constitutes an aspect of genocide, there remains a need to develop mechanisms and procedures that would facilitate the practical application of international instruments to adequately respond to the destruction of cultural property, in particular libraries.
Лілія Прокопенко (Tue,) studied this question.