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Overcoming the Lack of Information Literacy Skills in Librarianships

through the EU Funded Projects, case study: Bosnia and Herzegovina

Ratko Knezevic, PhD (Academic English and Anglo-American Literature) is a Professor of Academic English
and Anglo-American Literature. He also served as EU projects eexpert, Head of the international evaluation
groups for EU funded projects in Europe and Asia, ex Director of the County and University Library, President
of the Organisation Committee for „Western Balkan Information and Media Literacy Conference“. More about
available at https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Ratko_Knezevic

Fadil Islamovic, PhD (Engineering) is a Professor and Rector of the University of Bihac, ex County PM,
author and co-author of many scientific reasearch papers and university books. More about available at
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Fadil_Islamovic

Dzenana Gaco, PhD (Engineering), is the Associate Professor at the University of Bihac, Ex Vice rector
Education and students affairs at the University of Bihac, ex Rector of the University of Bihac, author and co-
author of many scientific reasearch papers and university books. She is currently working as Associate
Professor at Technical Faculty of the University of Bihac, Bosnia and Herzegovina. More about available at
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Dzenana_Gaco

Introduction: The necessity of developing IL skills in the modern world embedded by the Fake News
is obvious. Overcoming it requires all possibilities and especially experts engagements at all levels.

Information Literacy was almost unknown term in the Western Balkan region at the beginning of the XXI
century. There were some ambiguities in understanding the meaning of IL. The term was commonly used
in relation with IT and other related issues.
Based on the experts’ initiative led by Limerick Institute of Technology (LIT)
and other countries from Western Balkan as partners there were some projects funded by The European
Union implemented in the region of the Western Balkans with the aim to increase the IL skills at the level
of the universities’ libraries.
Regional development of the information society and lifelong learning is a priority for the Western
Balkans (European Commission 2011). The development of better IL skills contribute positively to
regional co-operation, business environments and hence foreign and national investments for the creation
of much needed jobs that will encourage individual initiatives and so add to an increase in the living
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standard of the whole population.
Although there is a proper level of educating future librarians at the respective faculties, the existing
problem is caused by the national Law on Education still allowing any person graduated as BA in any

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