MY TRAINING MOBILITY IN LJUBLJANA: Dragica Bjekić

Dragica Bjekić
University of Arts in Belgrade, Faculty of Dramatic Arts

Erazmus+ Staff Mobility for Training at

University of Ljubljana, Academy of Theatre, Radio, Film and Television

This was my first trip to Ljubljana and my first Erasmus+mobilty and the experience made a great impression. I was a guest of Bojana Bajec, the Head of the Library of AGRFT, who was our guest last year through the same program. A colleague of incredible energy, she selflessly devoted her time to me, so I had the opportunity to visit many libraries and meet and make acquaintance with many colleagues, who took me on a tour of the entire Theatre and Film Studies Centre.

The Theatre and Film Studies Centre collects and disseminates information, and manages archival and documentary materials related to the fields of theatre, radio, film and television. It also implements professional and development-focused research activities. At the Centre, students and other users have access to a specialised library (Bojana Bajec, Silva Bandelj), archival and documentary materials from the fields of theatre (Simona Ješelnik) and film (Miha Grum), as well as a video collection.

The AGRFT Library is a specialized university library which provides access to a wide collection of resources on theatre, radio, film and television. Its mission is to collect, catalogue and store resources related to the relevant fields of study. The founding of the library coincided with the founding of the Academy. In 1994, the library joined the COBISS database system.

The library is well equipped with academic books, stage plays in their original language, and about forty thousand translations. It also holds a collection of books related to other fields of study, thus being able to meet the requirements and needs of students of psychology, philosophy, music, and many other programs.

The library provides a large selection of periodicals and journals (about 7.000), mainly in the fields of film and theatre, and has kept theatre leaflets from principal theatre houses in Slovenia ever since it was established.

In 1996, the library started to include degree theses, which are also catalogued in the COBISS system. Degree theses completed before 1996 are kept in the Academy’s archive.

As of May 2004, there are 4000 typescripts available in the library. We made comparisons between the libraries we work at and gave each other useful advice and suggestions for tackling numerous issues that may arise in this setting. An exchange of publications was also agreed upon, as well as how the AGRFT Library will be provided with some editions of the Yearbook of Yugoslav Theaters. Ms. Bojana Bajec made an effort to take me on a visit to many important libraries in Ljubljana during my stay, which lasted five days, from May  27 to May 31.

We visited the following libraries:
the new AGRFT on 5, Aškerčeva Street, with Professor Tomaž Gubenšek. This building is modernly equipped for theatre and film studies. Unexpectedly, I also met our professor Dino Dolničar there.
the Faculty of Arts – Library of the Department of Slavistics and Department of Slovene Studies (Anka Polajnar)
the Library of the National Museum of Slovenia (Uršula Vimer Kovaček)
the National and University Library (Irena Sešek)
the Slovenian Theatre Institute (Katarina Kocijančič)
the Library of the Academy of Fine Arts and Design (Petra Jager)

I was fortunate to visit all these libraries and meet new colleagues with whom I will keep in touch in the future. Besides these professional visits, I had some free time, which I spent sightseeing around Ljubljana with my colleague Natalija Jevtić.

The city entranced me with its beauty. I was enraptured by Plečnik’s architectural masterpieces, visions and achievements, which, in my opinion, give the Slovenian capital eternal beauty and elegance. We climbed up to the old Ljubljana Castel beneath which the city was founded and visited Tivoli park, as well as various theatres, museums, and galleries. We were delighted by the small medieval town of Škofja Loka, as well as the beautiful Lake Bled.

Everything I experienced in Ljubljana holds a special place in my heart.

I am grateful to the University of Arts in Belgrade and the University of Ljubljana for the entire educational, cultural and aesthetic experience and the opportunity to participate in the Erasmus+ program. I would also like to extend my gratitude for the energy and time invested by my colleagues, as well as the professional empowerment and the knowledge I managed to acquire from them which I will implement in my work and the academic community.