Editorial
As a rule, the first days of June are the signal that you expect us to offer you a new copy of our magazine KNIHOVNA (Library, Librarian Review). Ad we do. The electronic version, including the translations of some articles, will appear on our web site somewhat later.
The body of our periodical comprises four papers enriching the publication activity in our field by diversified topics. This time the first place has been reserved to Michal Mocek who has, among others, paid much attention to the issues of beautiful books in the course of many years. This time he presents and reviews the printing and publishing house Kryl and Scotti (later Kryl only) that was active during the so-called First Republic of Czechoslovakia after WWII. The article is based upon the author´s thorough investigations of studies and opinions of reviewers of those times (1925-1946) as well as on competitions for the nicest book. The article bears the title Printing works Kryl and Scotti in the mirror of bibliophile media and competitions.
The second article, a comparative study, will usher you to the domain of education. Michal Lorenz from the Cabinet of Information Studies of the Masaryk University in Brno maps and compares the study profiles of two similar curricula, namely of two practically identical fields that can be chosen within one study program of information and librarianship at the Silesian University in Opava. The author postulates the question how comes that we can find two equal study lines at one university, especially in a not particularly populous country. That is why he analyzes both curricula in the light of their similarities and differences, and in his paper Map of study profiles: comparing the curricula of Library and Information Science in Opava he follows the target of revealing to what extent both lines of study are seen to compete.
The contribution from the pen (or rather keyboard, see page 98) of Klára Rösslerová of the Library of the Faculty of Arts at the Charles University in Prague deals with a most topical issue, namely the expected changes of exchangeable bibliographical data formats, in connection with the prospects of the future use of the publication format based upon the linked data principle. The article is an output of her dissertation thesis under preparation, here under the title Exchangeable formats of bibliographical data: their present transformation.
The fourth article, completing the reviewed part of the magazine, has been written by Radim Polčák from the Institute of law and technologies at the Faculty of Law of the Charles University. The author handles the amendments of the Information Act and their impact upon the libraries (such as the obligatory electronic copy, digitalization of the library funds and approach to source documents). The public sector data and the legal regime for their further utilization serve as a common denominator. This interesting paper discussing the hottest topics appears under the title Rights to the data administered by public libraries in the light of amendments of the Freedom of Information Act.
Legislative issues accompany us also upon entering the following part of the magazine that is reserved to columns: Libraries and Information at home and abroad. Our Slovak colleague from the Education Department of the Slovak Republic Monika Lapušanová has prepared an informative article The New Slovak Library Act.
A great personality of the Czech librarianship and information science, associate Professor Rudolf Vlasák, is going to celebrate his 80th birthday within short. Let us wish him excellent health, happiness and continuing vitality on behalf of the editorial staff, while thanking him for everything he has done for this periodical. A brief article commemorating this important personal jubilee of his has been prepared by Eva Bratková from the Institute of information studies and librarianship of the Faculty of arts at the Charles University in Prague.
The copy closes with a review of a very useful and comprehensive Handbook of Information Science (901 pages) from the pen of German authors, written by Richard Papík, and with the traditional column containing some novelties from foreign library related literature.
Let me now draw the attention of all those who are about to send us any contribution that there are new deadlines for accepting articles intended for reviewing. All details can be found at our website as well as in the instruction for the authors
I am confident that this copy may enrich you the same as it does enrich ourselves who have participated in its preparation.
In wishing you a pleasant summer, I already look forward to your contributions, suggestions, comments, reactions …
Renáta Salátová
Executive Editor
