scholarly journals Academic Libraries in Unusual Situations

2020 ◽  
pp. 57-69
Author(s):  
Anna Wołodko

Thesis / purpose of the article ‒ the aim of the article is to present the situation of academic libraries during the COVID-19 pandemic, with particular emphasis on the University of Warsaw Library. Method ‒ analysis of the literature, analysis of the situation of the University of Warsaw Library in March-May 2020 on the basis of unpublished reports of heads of BUW organizational units and the author’s own observations and experiences. Results / conclusions ‒ the scale of the COVID-19 pandemic and the size of the risks associated with it cannot be compared with any previous experience of academic libraries, therefore the libraries did not have ready-made procedures and procedures. The example of the University Library in Warsaw shows that in the period of lockdown and remote work, institutions were able to learn and gather valuable experience for future use.

2016 ◽  
Vol 44 (3) ◽  
pp. 121-126
Author(s):  
CJ de Jong

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to identify the value and benefits from newly developed relationships between the University of Alberta Libraries’ Interlibrary Loan Department and other institutions through the delivery of new services. Design/methodology/approach The paper is a descriptive review of the new services provided, including a centralized interlibrary loan service for members of the NEOS Consortium and an article delivery service for Can Tho University Library (Vietnam), an overview of the implementation of the services and a discussion of the value and benefits created. Findings A single-point of intake for interlibrary loan requests for a group of academic libraries can be implemented successfully with few drawbacks, providing benefits to all the participants. An article delivery service to an institution that provides no interlibrary loan services provides value through access to new resources and demonstrates not to be a burden on the provider; yet, this paper demonstrates that the primary value is in learning about their patrons’ needs. Practical implications Other institutions could replicate these services and relationships. Originality/value Single-point of intake for interlibrary loan in academic consortial environments has neither been demonstrated in the literature nor has any component of interlibrary loan been described to support international initiatives to assist libraries in disadvantaged countries.


IFLA Journal ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 46 (1) ◽  
pp. 15-24
Author(s):  
Long Xiao

A traditional library’s functions are centered on library collection and information resources and their utilization. A library management system comprises resource acquisition, cataloguing, circulation, reading, and reference in respect of “literature streams.” Functionally, libraries have currently evolved into knowledge service centers, which are oriented toward knowledge, committed to knowledge innovation, and centered on the knowledge demands of users. Meanwhile, library management has also gradually shifted to focus on knowledge management. However, the applications of knowledge management are mainly limited to library services. It lacks innovative applications in internal management such as business flow and institutional settings. This article takes Peking University Library, one of the top-notch academic libraries in China, as a case study to explore this issue. Through restructuring its organization and re-setting its staff positions based on the “knowledge stream” as the core, the academic library intends to satisfy the knowledge demands of different types of users and create an environment in favor of knowledge flow and innovation. All of these efforts further support the development of the university.


Author(s):  
K. A. Podrezov ◽  
Yu. V. Ivanova

The need for studies to analyze the evolution of university libraries at the various historical stages is substantiated. The authors identify three periods when the library role was changing radically due to the changes in ideology and social demands. The authors explore the first period in detail and point to the narrative character of most publications on the library history lacking analysis of their humanitarian origins. The authors argue that, to conceptualize academic libraries mission at the present time, it is necessary to understand the university library mission from the historical perspective. They emphasize that cultural and educational activitiestoday is viewed in the context of personal socialization, or student’s social adaptation while the vector of information space development calls for conceptualization of the libraries’ humanitarian mission.The authors argue that, to understand a university library mission and, speaking wider – an education humanitarian principle we have to turn to historical and philosophic essence of humanism and enlightenment at the earliest stage of Russian academic libraries of the late 18th – early 20th century.


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