Research assistance library service - In between formal and informal learning

The purpose of this article is to present the development of a research assistance library service - online assistance in finding resources on a given topic - in the period between 2006 and 2012. With the implementation of the Bologna process in Croatia, there was a need for a more proactive involvement of the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computing Central Library in the Faculty teaching procedure. With its resources available, the FER Central Library sought to contribute to the quality of the way students conduct research for their papers, and therefore launched the research support service, which, over the years, developed into a successful virtual link between given research topics, mentors, students, and the Library itself. Furthermore, the virtual library support proved to be a useful non-formal learning tool. Results of an online questionnaire the service users completed are presented, and the future plans for further improvement of the service are set forth.