The National and University Library in Zagreb (NSK) and the Zagreb Library Association’s Working Group on Citizen Science in Libraries have launched BioBlitz and Libraries, the national green libraries programme that brings together researchers and the wider community. Nearly 70 Croatian libraries – primarily public and school libraries – have joined the initiative.

Participating libraries across Croatia have already begun organising BioBlitz events: intensive field studies designed to collect data on species living in parks, gardens, forests, and other green spaces within local communities.

Libraries are free to shape the scope and duration of their activities according to the characteristics of nearby green areas and the interests of their users. All community members aged 12 and above are welcome to participate.

The collected data will be publicly accessible through the iNaturalist platform and can later be used by participating libraries for further analysis, educational activities, and presentations developed in cooperation with researchers.

On Earth Day 2026, NSK and the Botanical garden of the University of Zagreb’s Faculty of Science   organised a BioBlitz event held as part of the 2026 Croatian Science Festival. The students of the Tituš Brezovački secondary school in Zagreb made a field survey into the animal species inhabiting the Garden, photographing them with their mobile phones and using the iNaturalist mobile application as the documentation tool. In addition to compiling a list of resources on the Garden in NSK’s collections, the Library’s staff also set up a website providing free and easy access to the collected data.

BioBlitz and Libraries promotes and strengthens the role of libraries in advancing sustainability, raising environmental awareness, and encouraging citizens of all ages to take part in protecting the natural environment.