Library and Reading room Halubajska zora
As reported by the Naša Sloga newspaper on 26 May 1904, the Halubajska Zora reading room was founded in 1904. In the beginning, it was located on private premises. The reading room was closed during World War One but then reopened in the interwar period, changing its name several times.
One of the rare preserved documents from this period is the List of Associations in the Kastav Area of 1929. The List of Reading Rooms and Educational Associations in the District of Kastav mentions Halubjan People’s Reading Room of Sveti Matej, which shows that the word ‘Croatian’ had been removed from its name in the Yugoslavian period. In a list from 1933, it was listed as Halubjan People’s Library and Reading Room, which indicates that it also served as a library.
World War Two put an end to its activities for a long period of time. After 50 years, the committee of the Croatian Matica hrvatska national institution reopened the library under the name of Halubajska zora. It was formally opened on 17 May 1992 in the presence of Academician Nedjeljko Fabrio and numerous Chakavian poets and guests. The library catalogue comprised 821 books.
On 19 September 2003, the central library was relocated to the ground floor of the Marinići Community Hall, and its former location eventually became the Viškovo branch of the library. The new premises are 180 m2 in size and divided into several units: a central part for information and borrowing, an adults’ section, children’s section, reading room and study room. In 2008, the central library received a separate reading room area and in 2009 a new library service called knjigomat was introduced as the only one of its kind in Primorje-Gorski Kotar County. In addition to its regular activities, the library hosts various cultural events, workshops, book presentations, art exhibitions and theatre performances.
More information on: www.halubajska-zora.hr
