Strong libraries, strong societies: abstracts
Jelena Djurović
National library of Montenegro „Đurđe Crnojević“
Biography: Director of the National Library of Montenegro since 2004. Active participation in EU, regional and national projects: SEEDI, within the Central European Initiative; and within JJI, UNESCO, ISSN, CENL, CDNL; “Center for Permanent Education of Librarians in Montenegro – Library In”; COBISS.CG and COBISS.NET within “Virtual Library of Montenegro”. Conceptual author and project leader of all projects, exhibitions and cultural events in the NL of Montenegro from 2004 to 2015. Organized numerous educational programs, seminars and conferences for librarians in Montenegro. Author of numerous papers in the field of library and information science. Participated in the development of the National Digitization Program of libraries. President of the Montenegrin Library Association for four years, president of the Montenegrin Commission for taking professional library exams, Committee member for the award of professional titles in librarianship. Awarded in the fields of librarianship (MLA’s Award and Slovene Institute for Information Sciences’ Award) and culture (Award of the Montenegrin Royal Capital, city of Cetinje; Caravaggio Prize from the Italian governement).
Learning years for Montenegrin librarians and library users
This text aims to present the basic mission and key activities of the National library of Montenego in the area of permanent education of librarians. Montenegrin institutional system doesn’t offer possibilities of LIS education at any level. Therefore continuous education and workplace learning is even more important. Starting in 2001 the NLM adopted as one of its strategic goals planned and organized forms of education and training of librarians, in accordance with needs and new demands of the information society and with transformation of the profession itself. Through NLM’s initiatives, most of 500 librarians from some 300 libraries of all types attended various educational programmes in the last 15 years. Besides programmes such as „Biblioteka In“, training for the State’s professional exam, training for COBISS library platform, or education of librarians and users as part of the „MIL Initiative“, NLM answered to other needs, too. In the field of digitizing cultural heritage a number of lectures and workshops has been organized in order to encourage other libraries in the country to start digitization projects of their own. The NLM efforts were specially aimed to smaller libraries, to support their inclusion in digitizing processes and to open possibilities for them to integrate collections into wider platforms and make them visible and available to wider audiences. The licensing model of training for COBISS raises the quality of library and information services and of librarians’ professional profiles and contributes to their competitiveness in the sphere of knowledge economy.
Mehmet Manyas
Kadir Has University
Biography: Mehmet MANYAS received his BA in Library and Information Science. He is the Head Librarian of the Kadir Has University Information Center. Previously between 2008 and 2014 he held the position of the President of the Turkish Librarians Association Istanbul Branch.
Teach More, Learn Better with Information Literacy: The Turkish Experience
The three-year pilot project (2010-2013) was launched in the light of the mandate put forth by the protocol signed between the Istanbul Provincial National Education Directorate and the Innovative Library Initiatives Promotion Group (ILIPG) led by Turkish Librarians’ Association Istanbul Branch (TLA). The aim of the project was to support K-12 school teachers in Istanbul in helping their students to be information literate, lifelong learner and critical thinking members of an active and strong democracy and a competitive economy by providing training in information literacy (IL). The “Information Literacy (IL) Project” supported by an Innovation Fund from the U.S. Department of State is unique as it is administered by a civic initiative to contribute to the Turkish education system. The project sets an example, and is referred to as a resource guide for other similar projects. During the implementation of the 2nd phase of the project, the focus was on information and media literacy for teachers. A series of conferences, seminars, workshops and meetings were organized by the ILIPG member institutions or by institutions that support the project. By raising awareness of IL among educators, TLA/ILIPG managed to catch the attention of policy makers. IL I and II projects were implemented at primary and secondary education levels in Istanbul. The recent developments and changes in the Turkish education system have proven that the understanding of information and media literacy of teachers is a vital issue.
Dolores Noemi Melis
Archivio storico – Biblioteche del Comune di Cagliari
Biography: Bibliotecaria per il Comune di Cagliari dal 1979. Dal 2002 funzionaria dell’ufficio Archivio storico – Biblioteche, ha contribuito alla progettazione e nascita della MEM – Mediateca del Mediterraneo che tutt’ora dirige insieme alle biblioteche decentrate.
Social inclusion and development of democracy for citizens – best practice
L’intervento intende illustrare la novità rappresentata dalla nascita della MEM-Mediateca del Mediterraneo nel contesto del servizio bibliotecario del Comune di Cagliari, nonostante l’edificio non sia completato al momento della sua apertura al pubblico, avvenuta nel Maggio del 2011. Attraverso l’esposizione degli scenari prefigurati dal progetto biblioteconomico, affidato al prof. Giovanni Solimine, la relazione si propone di spiegare come la MEM non sia solamente la realizzazione della sede della biblioteca centrale della città e la nuova sede dell’Archivio storico e della Biblioteca di Studi sardi, due istituzioni storiche di prestigio, ma fino a quel momento conosciute e utilizzate unicamente da addetti ai lavori. La MEM è predisposta piuttosto, per svolgere molte funzioni fra loro coesistenti, anche grazie alle caratteristiche dell’edificio, che si presta a realizzare un’organizzazione flessibile dei servizi a seconda delle aree funzionali di volta in volta coinvolte. Prima di tutto la MEM aspira ad essere la casa di coloro che vivono a Cagliari o a Cagliari arrivano per le ragioni più diverse e lo strumento di riqualificazione e rivitalizzazione del quartiere circostante. La stessa architettura dell’edificio comunica l’immagine di una struttura fortemente attraente e inclusiva che, con il concorso di molteplici fattori, ha trasformato in brevissimo tempo la suggestiva corte interna, contornata da pareti vetrate, in una piazza pubblica dove le persone trovano piacevole sostare e incontrarsi. La MEM si configura così come uno spazio urbano e sociale, centrale e molto visibile, che sta già influendo positivamente sulla qualità della vita di un’area degradata da decenni.
Virginia Ortiz-Repiso
Secretary of FESABID (Spain)
Biography: Virginia Ortiz-Repiso is the Secretary of FESABID (Spanish Federation of Societies of Archivist, Librarians, Documentalist and Museology). She is Associate Professor (1996) and Chair of the Department of Library and Information Science at Carlos III University of Madrid (2009). She is the president of Spanish Departments Network of Library and Information Science (RUID). Since 2012, she is the Spanish Representative in the European Chapter of the ASIS&T and member of the Committee of REBIUN experts (Network of Spanish University Libraries) for Information Skills.
Access to good quality information resources for all
The word OPEN is having a big impact on society. Open as the default modus operandi for research and higher education, implies and facilitates sharing. Open culture must be explained within a broad framework: open Infrastructure (software and standards), open content (research, education and data) and open processes (development, research, education, innovation). This conference focuses on three major aspects of open access movement: research literature, data research and educational resources.
Open access to scientific literature (OA) means free availability on the internet, allowing any users to read, download, copy, print, distribute or make any other legal use of it, without any financial, technical or other type of barrier. The principal reasons are: the rising cost of journal subscription, the emergence of digitalization and Internet. The major aim is to increase access to knowledge for all and a greater visibility for publications. Three strategies for achieving open access are explained: gold, green and hybrid.
Open research data was born to help researchers around the world sharing and using research data without barriers and improve the evolution of science. Open data and content can be freely used, modified and shared by anyone for any purpose. Policies, mandates, data management plans, preservation, responsibilities and actions that must be taken are explained.
Open educational resources (OER) – according to Unesco- improve access to quality education at all levels, and increase dialogue, knowledge sharing and capacity building. The cycle of open educational resources implies share, use, improve and distribute.
These three initiatives are a challenge for libraries and society. Taking them into account will make both stronger.
Tanja Prevolšek Pajer
Central Regional Library Srečko Vilhar Koper, Slovenia
Biography: Works in the CRL (Central Regional Library) Koper from 2007 as a librarian in the department for adults and responsible for planning events.
Libraries without borders: cooperation between libraries from Slovenia, Italy and Croatia
The main advantage of the citizens of the European Union is not so much the elimination of physical obstacles and the opportunity to move freely in the single common area, but in overcoming mental barriers, which is a time-consuming and much more difficult process, but certainly the most important. And Istria as a region has always been a symbol of natural coexistence in the European context. Overcoming borders, trilingualism and the daily flow of people are largely changing social consciousness and previous habits. New generations who live along the border, have already mostly outgrown the old resentments and prejudices. And libraries, as inexhaustible sources of personal and collective identity have one of the leading roles in this process.
Compared with the past, when libraries focused almost exclusively on keeping the heritage, now we are in the process of establishing an integrated system of information and services that will enable us to strengthen our role within the local community and give support to our customers in finding information and lifelong learning. The project Libraries without borders connects libraries and librarians from Slovenia, Croatia and Italy and provides the foundation on which new ideas and practices can be developed together. And finally, through partnership we can take better advantage of the already insufficient European funding.