Reference Work Discussion Group (102)

Reference services to users of European Union information in a networked environment: an example from the European Documentation Center at the Saxon State and University Library, Dresden, Germany

" ...libraries represent one of the main bases for present-day innovation and progress... there is a need to enchance the wealth of resources and the heritage they encompass, particularly by means of new systems and digital networks"

(Council Resolution on Electronic Publishing, 25.6.1996)

Introduction

An EDC maintains a comprehensive special collection of printed official European Union (EU) publications, and forms part of the Information Relay system managed by the Documentation Center (Library, EDC & databases) of the Directorate-General for Education and Culture. Today, there are approximately 315 EDCs in the EU and nearly 200 in third countries.²
EDCs around the world receive free copies of most official European Community materials (periodicals and monographs), published by the "Office for Official Publications of the European Communities" (also known as EUR-OP) in Luxembourg. As most EU publications are published in all eleven official EU languages, an EDC may receive materials in their own language or in another language of their choice. In addition to receiving free publications, EDCs have free access to the public databases of the European Commission.

There are two types of EDCs:

• the "full EDC" receiving all publications distributed through the depository program, and

• the "specialised EDC" receiving selected EUR-OP publications according to an established profile.

As a result, most full EDCs around the world have the same or very similar collections, which vary based year it was established. Specialized EDCs collections vary greatly based on profiles tailored to local user needs.

An EDC should exist as a separate collection within a university or branch library. The responsibilities for managing and providing service to the EDC collection are most often assigned to a single person in a university library environment. The role of the EDC librarian is to provide access to the documentation and information of and about the EU for academic users (professors, research workers and students) and for the general public (community, government, citizens, and businesses).
For many years EDCs functioned independently to serve their local users and maintained relatively little inter-institutional contact. But in the 1980s and 1990s new electronic resources provided greater opportunities to establish networks among libraries and budgetary crises fueled network development. At the same time, the Commission recognized that it needed to take a more proactive role in promoting the goals of European Union, and, that the EDCs provided an avenue to disseminate information on Community programs. However, in the early 1990s the Commission realized that if ECDs were to function as part of the "network" of resources it envisioned for promoting the European agenda, it would need to provide more leadership, training, and additional resources.

New information technologies provided the Commission with the means to supply those additional resources.

Digital Literacy

The increasing importance of access to digital information on the EU for all citizens in the information society, confronts today's EDC with a new challenge- to offer appropriate user education and training in the new digital technologies. By providing appropriate user education an EDC can help to increase "Digital Literacy," helping users acquire the new skills needed to play an active role in our society, as well as promoting life-long learning.

"In this knowledge society electronic information will play an increasingly dominant role although books and paper publications will continue to maintain their importance. The academic world is to date the dominant user group where Internet and WWW technology is concerned. Librarians and documentalists take the lead in structuring and navigating the unprecedented volume of information resources becoming available online. More and more frequently, the typical start to the launching of a new university course will be the creation of a web site designed, stocked and managed in partnership between the academic and library staff."³

One electronic resource developed by the Commission and made available to EDCs and the public is the official EU server "EUROPA" (http://europa.eu.int). This resource contains information about the EU Institutions, their policies, official documents and databases, as well as links to other official servers. Comprehensive electronic information resources such as EUROPA result in institutional activities and decision-making processes that are more open to the citizens of the EU and the general public.

Reference Services in an EDC

The printed materials of the Dresden EDC, established in 1991, are listed in the library's online public access catalogue (OPAC) according to the Regensburg catalogue union classification. They can be searched by author, corporate author, title, key words and classification number (representing one topic area). The EDC librarian may assist the user with his document search or subject inquiry or give advice on using the OPAC. In case of electronic information, the traditional OPAC may not provide adequate access and the librarian must rely on his knowledge of other EDC- internal formats (CD- ROM, microfiche) or of EDC-external sources (offline or online databases through the university library or on the Internet).

In addition to the availability of expanded resources, including many in full text, through various databases (e.g. CELEX, ECLAS for Internet documents, SCAD, EUR- LEX etc.), one of most significant benefits of digital documents is their broad availability, availability which is not dependent on in-library use. However, EDC libraries are still faced with an additional challenge, educating users in what resources are available and how to best access the information they need, when they may not even visit the library.

User instruction and education

The appropriate mode of user instruction and education can only be found by first identifying user needs and research goals. And, secondly, by identifying potential modes for delivering the information. This evaluation process will result in the choice of the most suitable format for user guides. Some potential user education tools are printed handouts, information through EDC homepages, electronic reference service, guided tours and tutorials.

1. Printed handouts

   At the Dresden EDC, there are printed handouts for general information (short and long versions). There are also print user guides introducing users to printed materials, CD- ROMs, online databases, and the Internet available. These are also available in an electronic version on the EDC Dresden homepage.

2. Homepage EDC Dresden: Structure

   The homepage of the EDC Dresden has 4 main parts:

   1. Overview about EDC:
      • An explanation of an EDC (through the EDC Mannheim at http://www.uni-mannheim.de/users/ddz/edz/);
      • list of EDCs in Germany and worldwide with links (through the EDC Mannheim)'
      • list of EDCs in Saxony

   2. Information about the Dresden EDC
      • overview of the Dresden EDC;
      • main topics of collection;
      • shelf classification;
      • user's advisory;
      • a list of all EDC journals (a continuing journals list with a search function) with links to electronic versions;
      • virtual library-links to the virtual full text library collections of the EDC Mannheim (http://www.uni-mannheim.de/users/ddz/edz/virbib/inhalte.html) and EDC Konstanz (http://www.ub.uni-konstanz.de/fi/edz/virtbib/index.htm);
      • Internet short guide for EU relevant information (printed and virtual);
      • Guide for CD- ROM databases;
      • EDC mailing list EUROINFO (to reach at euroinfoadmin@jura.tu-dresden.de), maintained by the EDC Dresden in collaboration with the Law School of the University Dresden. Addressed to all users of EU related matters, EUROINFO provides selective current awareness information such as
        • a listing of new printed publications on EU relevant topics, mainly EU law, politics, economy, education and environment, received at the EDC and in the Branch Law Library, that houses the EDC;
        • topical links to virtual information, taken from professional mailinglists (Eurodoc, EDZ-DE) or from other sources; and
        • virtual hints to EU relevant events (seminars, conferences) on different fields

   3. Links mainly to official EU- Information:
      • new links (provided by the EDC Dresden, a part of the Internet- Guide below);
      • link to the EU- Institutions (through the Europa- Server at http://europa.eu.int);
      • virtual guided tour through the EU institutions in Brussels (through the Europa- Server);
      • EU databases (through the Europa- Server);
      • EU information newtworks (through the Europa- Server); and
      • EU programs (through the Europa- Server).

   4. Guide to EU information on the Internet
      This guide contains selected links organized as follows:
      • topical links;
      • general information;
      • EU- Institutions and their materials;
      • EU databases;
      • official EU legal sources;
      • other European organizations;
      • Parliaments and Governments on the Internet;
      • International Organizations;
      • LINK- collections for different topics sorted in alphabetical order;
      • EU- full text version materials;
      • EU periodicals;
      • newsgroups, mailing lists concerning EU- information;
      • speeches (in alphabetical order according to the speaker);
      • EU and other countries (sorted by country name); and
      • subject index to main topics

3. Electronic Reference Service

   Electronic reference service ("ask a librarian") extends the usual reference services and allows for closer contact with the user. Providing skilled reference service from an EDC librarian to all Internet users via increases the efficiency of information delivery to professionals and students, creates a more service- and user- oriented environment and stimulates demand for, and use of both printed materials and electronic content. The EDC may quickly transfer low use documents in electronic formats directly to the user. As many user needs are not yet known and are still difficult to infer, EDC librarians can use online interactivity to optimally understand customers expectations.

4. Guided tours (at a basic or specialized level, ad hoc instruction at the "point of use")

   Depending on the user groups interests and needs (e.g. students, researchers, government officials, foreign professionals, teachers) the EDC Dresden offers an introduction to internal and external information sources on EU materials at different levels in German and English.
   A basic level guided tour is accessible through the EDC Dresden homepage. Since 1998 the Dresden EDC offers free special guided tours through printed and virtual EU documents for librarians from South and South East Africa through the German Foundation for Development, Berlin.

5. Tutorials and curriculum

   The highest level of user education provided to Dresden EDC users to further knowledge on EU related information are tutorials and curricula. These promote the existing information services to their best advantage.

   To date, the Dresden EDC has provided two training courses for government officials who are working on EU topics at the Academy of Public Administration of the Free State of Saxony,. Meissen. These tutorials are part of the EU-Curriculum at the Academy, which collaborates with the European Institute for Public Administration (EIPA), Maastricht.

   Both courses include the full spectrum of EU related digital resources and computer skills related to retrieving, using and evaluating information. One course consists of a one-day hands-on training session focused on working with EU documents in their printed and digital environments. The second consists of a four-day hands-on training session to introduce to the main EU databases (CELEX, SCAD, RAPID, EUR-LEX etc.) and their effective use based on various examples. These training units are evaluated by the users to the courses meet both expectations and needs.

Staff education

"Libraries need staffs who possess either a wide range of different skills (generalists) or who have extended the depth of their individual skills (specialists). These skills are used in different fields of work (..user service..) and encompass different working qualifications...."⁶

Librarians require special skills in subject methods, academic and technological skills.
Assuming an expanded teaching role means an EDC librarian must significantly stretch his knowledge of and teaching abilities with electronic information. Therefore, EDC staff education is a key basis for promoting the use of EU information by users.

To reach this objective, the European Commission promotes the training of the persons responsible for the EDCs in order to assure that they are familiar with the full range of resources placed at their disposal (databases, the EUROPA server, etc.). This training takes the form of seminars.

A basic training seminar is held each year having as its objectives:

• To ensure that the institutions of the European Union and its documentary production are understood;
• To present the latest information services set up by the European Commission (EUROPA, Europe by Satellite, new databases) for use by the European Documentation Center (EDC);
• To give an update of the implementation of relay and network policy.
• To clarify to the persons responsible for EDCs the political priorities of the European Commission; and
• To promote transnational cooperation within the network.

A seminar of further training, designed to complement the basic training, and having as its objective a deeper knowledge of the European questions, will also take place, in theory, each year.⁷

In order to enhance communication among EDCs in each country, the Representations and some Delegations of the European Commission organise annual national meetings of EDCs.

Outlook

"Librarians and libraries must, in future, continually rethink their range of services, not only because of technical developments but also because of more pressing economic demands. They will also have to continually set new priorities in view of economic conditions, and their customers. This means that sometimes activities in the classic range of duties will change and, in some cases, disappear completely, on the othe hand, however, new duties will appear. This means that organisations will have to be more flexible and that it will be necessary for librarians to continue to expand their skills and proficiencies and increase their store of knowledge as well."⁸

EDC work has always reflected the strong need to help individuals find, manage, evaluate and implement information resources tailored to their needs, whether for professional reasons or for leisure. Today, there is a growing trend away from print resources towards remote online resources. As EDC collections become less location bound and evolve to fully digital environments, the role of the EDC reference librarian changes and becomes more complex. It now requires knowledge of the technological tools necessary for finding resources and the ability to instruct the public in their use. It also requires the ability to communicate with users and other librarians by means of these tools.

One of the primary tools for communicating in the networked world is e-mail. EDCs use email to interact with users (to receive, support and answer queries in the printed and networked environment, and also for information dissemination through newsletters, listserves, and mailing lists). But e-mail plays an important role also in interacting and fostering support among EDC librarians via professional listserves, such as EURODOC which supports English speaking EDC librarians or EDZ-DE for German speaking EDC librarians. Lists such as these support EDC librarians at the national and international level, providing assistance with difficult document searches, dissemination of selective information, and current awareness services. This new and untraditional way of information dissemination and communication is a major component of professional development.

Conclusions

"Currently, with the growing sophistication and reach of electronic information networks into all parts of our communities, there is a comparable challenge for libraries to place their collections of information resources into the hands of the user, and to become an effective part of the information network available to citizens of the community. Librarians must seek to reorient themselves along the lines that reach outside their traditional organizational structures."⁹

This paper comments on developments in the field of both reference services and user instruction and how the Dresden EDC is attempting to meet the challenges arising from these developments. I believe, there is a continued need, in the "knowledge society" for both the EDC and the EDC librarian/specialist who can play a key role in promoting both digital literacy and an informed citizenry. Internal and external training, given at the right time and oriented to the specific needs of EDC librarians is the necessary basis for successful reference service.

However, before users can take advantage of online information and services, they need more than easy access to these services. They need the skills to use them. Adequate education in the use of digital tools are cornerstone to the provision of electronic access, and users must be offered a variety of education tools in a variety of formats.

References

• ASIS' 97. Proceedings of the 60th ASIS Annual Meeting, 1997, vol.34: Digital Collections: Implications for users, funders, developers and maintainers. Washington, DC, 1997
• Bakewell, K.G.B.: Managing user-centred libraries and information services. London, 1992
• Carreer Profile 2000. The Changing Roles of Libraries and Librarians. Prepared by the Working Party Joint Career Profile of the BDB e.V. chaired by Ute Krauss- Leichert, Berlin 2000
• Deckmyn, Veerle: Guide to Official Information of the European Union. 3rd edition, European Institute for Public Administration (EIPA), Maastricht
• Government Information Collections in the Networked Environment. New Issues and Models. Ed. By Joan F. Cheverie.The Haworth Press, Inc. New York, London. 1998 (Collection Management, vol 23, No 3)
• St Clair, Guy: Total Quality Management in Information Services. London, Melbourne, Munich, 1996
• Siess, Judith A.: The SOLO Librarians Sourcebook.- Medford, NJ, 1997.
• Strategies for jobs in the Information Society. Communication from the Commission, COM(2000) 48 fin., at http://www.europa.eu.int/comm/dg05/soc-dial/info_soc/index_de.htm
• Whittaker, Kenneth: The Basics of library- based user services, London,1993

Notes

1. see the draft "Vade-mecum European Documentation Centres" of the European Commission, Directorate-general for education and culture, Documentation Centre (Library, EDC & databases) from April 2000

2. according to the draft "Vade-mecum European Documentation Centres" of the European Commission, Directorate-general for education and culture, Documentation Centre (Library, EDC & databases) from April 2000

3. Re-thinking European Documentation Centres. A DG X Reflection Paper at http://europa.eu.int/comm/dg10/libraries/edc/reflexion_en.html

4. Muehlfeld, Kalina : "Herstellung eines Benutzerführers für Europäische Dokumentationszentren (EDZ) mit Internetführer" ( "Developing a User Instruction Guide for EDC with an Internet Guide for European information"- a research paper, written for the academic degree of Master of Library Science in postgraduate correspondance course in library science conducted by the Institute of Library Science at the Humboldt University Berlin, Germany), 1998

5. compare at: St. Clair, Guy: "Total Quality Management in Information Services", Bowker- Saur: East Grinstead, 1997

6. Career Profile 2000. The Changing Roles of Libraries and Librarians. Berlin, 2000. - p.76

7. compare at: Vade- mecum…

8. Career Profile 2000. The Changing Roles of Libraries and Librarians. Berlin, 2000. -p.117

9. John Shuler and Jack Sulzer: The Community Information Organization: An Initiative for Communities and Academic Libraries, in: Government Information Collections....p.20