Dictionary of Library Terminology enables us proper communication in our profession. To establish how this dictionary is used by students we decided to carry out a survey on applicability of special dictionaries, particularly that of the Dictionary of Library Terminology, during the course of studies. We were interested in finding out which foreign languages the students were fluent in, as well as which foreign languages they used in dealing with the material for their studies. We also focused on some of the non-Latin scripts and tried to find out which of these the students were able to transliterate. We inquired whether they found the Dictionary of Library Terminology useful in their studies and how as well as in which particular fields of library science they used it and why. 59 students of librarianship participated in the survey.
Students agree that the Dictionary of Library Terminology should be included in their studies as obligatory study material. They use it mostly in the field of information science, dokumentalistics and cataloging but they find it useful also in writing their seminar papers and diploma degree as well as in translating. Students of librarianship display language proficiency since each of them has active or passive knowledge of a foreign language. Predominant languages are English, Croatian and German. In writing their seminar papers and diploma degree the students make use of literature written in foreign languages, and as help in translating they often consult dictionaries in printed form as well as electronic dictionaries, the latter being most commonly used in the form of dictionaries on CD-ROM. Students use general-use dictionaries as well as special dictionaries, however, almost a third of the students of librarianship does not use the Dictionary of Library Terminology.
Final abstract, August 25, 2000