Section of University Libraries and Other General Research Libraries

Annual Report 1998-99

Scope:

The Section of University Libraries and other Tertiary and General Research Libraries is the international forum for all concerned in this area. It provides members with the opportunity to exchange experiences and ideas with colleagues world-wide and is a vehicle for collaborative action.

Membership:

485

Officers:

Chair:

Mr Alex Byrne, Pro Vice-Chancellor (Information Resources), Northern Territory University, Darwin 0909 Australia; Tel +61 8 8946 6192; fax +61 8 89451317; email alex.byrne@ntu.edu.au

Secretary and Financial Officer:

Ms Kirsten Engelstad, Riksbibliotektjenesten, POB 8046 Dep, N-0030 Oslo Norway; Tel +47 23 11 89 00; fax +47 23 11 89 01; email kirsten.engelstad@rbt.no

Information Coordinator:

Kirsten Engelstad / Alex Byrne

Meetings:

Amsterdam Conference Saturday, August 15 and Friday, August 21 1998. Eighteen committee members and 8 observers at the first session and 17 committee members and 5 observers at the second session. Topics discussed included the Section's brochure, finances and program. Possible future projects suggested included New translations of the publication on performance measurement, development of a website for learning material on information literacy and an investigation of the issues relating to licensing of research library material.

Projects:

The Section's project on "Cost Analysis and Performance measurement" is proceeding under the direction of Ms Roswitha Poll. A task force on Copyright and academic libraries was established consisting of Toby Bainton, Kirsten Engelstad and Susan Nutter as convenors of a larger group including James Neal, The Johns Hopkins University, Duane Webster, USA. The Task Force was encouraged to seek cooperation with the FID copyright committee, chaired by Kirsten Engelstad from 1999, and the IFLA copyright committee, now chaired by Marianne Scott.

Publications:

There were no publications during the year. The Section's newsletter was not published due to technical difficulties.

Conference Programme:

The Section organised the following sessions at the Amsterdam Conference:

60. Sunday 16 August 1998 0830-10:20. Discussion Group on Performance Measurement. Focus on Performance and Cost Measures for the Impact of Academic Libraries on Learning.

112. Tuesday 18 August 1998 15:00-17:30. Joint Open Session (IFLA Section for University Libraries and General Research Libraries and the Roundtable on User Education): Direction at the Cross-Roads - Integrating Information Skills into a Changing Curriculum. Speakers: Hannelore B. Rader, Ekstrom Library, University of Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky, USA: "Faculty/librarian collaboration in building the curriculum for the millennium: the US experience"; Nazan Ucak and Serap Kurbanoglu, Department of Library Science, Hacettepe, University, Ankara, Turkey: "Information need and information seeking behavior of scholars at a Turkish university"; Teddy Oker-Blom, Helsinki, Finland: "Information skills within the framework of problem-oriented studies".

158A. Thursday 20 August 1998 09:00-15:00. Workshop. How do libraries respond to the change in focus from teaching to learning? Facilitator: Alex Byrne, Pro Vice-Chancellor (Information Resources), Northern Territory University, Australia. Speakers: Associate Professor Paulette Bernhard, École de bibliothéconomie et des sciences de l'information, Université de Montréal, Canada: "Expanding Information Literacy Instruction through the Net". Dr Peter Clayton, Faculty of Communication, University of Canberra, Australia. "Academics Online: Implications for Libraries".

Relationship with other bodies:

Roundtable on User Education; CLM.

Other events:

The Section organised no other events during the year.

Action Plan 1998-1999:

Goal 1

Promote the development and good management of university libraries by:

1. Monitor and promote the evaluation of library services using performance indicators - by way of annual Discussion Group on Performance Measurement.
2. Develop guidelines for the costing of library services - by way of a major project. The aim is to publish the guidelines in a handbook.
3. Assert the library's integration with the core functions of the university - this topic is to be addressed by an Open Session (in 1998) and/or a Workshop.
4. The convergence of libraries, computer centres and educational support centres - this topic is to be addressed by an Open Session (in 1999) and/or a Workshop. The possible publication of a Brochure on the topic will be investigated.
5. The university library's changing space needs - to be the subject of a Workshop.

Goal 2

Support IFLA's focus on the electronic environment by:

1. Promoting access to information for study and research and monitoring possible changes through revised copyright and other laws in collaboration with other interested groups, e.g. by way of a Discussion Group;
2. Providing the opportunity for discussing issues of concern by members of the Section;
3. considering the implications of the developing electronic information environment on academic libraries by way of an Open Forum, together with other interested groups;
4. advocating access and licensing policies for electronic information resources which will make them accessible to academic libraries in developing countries.

Author:

Alex Byrne

Date:

10 August 1999