Libraries Without Walls III: Papers
Contributors
The programme included the following contributors:
Introduction and Conference Summary
Professor Peter Brophy (Professor of Information Management and Director of the Centre for Research in Library and Information Management, Manchester Metropolitan University, UK)
Keynote address
Alexander (Sandy) Slade (Head of Document Supply Services, University of Victoria Library, British Columbia, Canada).
Papers
Claire Nankivell (Manager of the Centre for Information Research
and Training, University of Central England, Birmingham, UK)
"Models for working together": Findings of the UK research project People Flows
which investigated the cross-use of public, university and college libraries.
Background to the project will be covered as well as implications for co-operation
and collaboration between the three library sectors.
Sirje Virkus (Associate Professor, Head of Department of Information
Studies, Head of the Chair of Information Science, Tallinn University
of Educational Sciences, Estonia)
"Library Services in Open and Distance Learning": Results of a research project
carried out in the Department of Information Studies of the Tallinn University
of Educational Sciences (TUES), Estonia for the study and implementation of distance
learning and teaching in a new learning environment in Estonia.
Janet Fletcher (Network Services Librarian, Southern Cross University,
New South Wales, Australia)
"Designing the library home page for distance education learners": The quality
of electronic support offered to students by libraries is particularly critical
for universities where many students learn through distance education. This paper
presents findings of a literature survey and a series of focus group interviews
of Southern Cross University distance education students.
Anne-Marie Schmidt (Course and Development Consultant, Aarhus
Municipal Library, Denmark)
"Experiences from a distance education project in public libraries in Denmark":
Progress of a project undertaken by Aarhus Municipal Libraries concerning distance
education for library staff within public libraries in Denmark. The project is
a result of the Danish Government report "From vision to action - Info society
2000" and aims to improve staff skills in handling of both printed and digital
information and of providing end-user support.
Lorraine Hall (Assistant Director of Information Services) and
Sally Curry (LIS Researcher, University of Sunderland, UK)
"The LASh experience (Libraries Access Sunderland Scheme)": This paper is based
on the British Library funded SAILS project currently being undertaken at the
University of Sunderland. Findings of the project will be covered including issues
surrounding staff development and training and will also focus on cross-sectoral
library co-operation, the needs of lifelong learners and staff training in distributed
libraries.
Adoracio Perez (Library Director) and Marta Enrech (Manager of
Documentation Unit, Virtual Library of the Open University of Catalonia,
Spain)
"A Virtual Library: defining library services for a virtual community": The concept
of the Virtual Library is developed in the Open University of Catalonia to offer
a new model of library service to facilitate distance access to higher education
and provide a flexible service designed so that users can take advantage of new
information technologies.
Madeline McPherson (University Librarian, University of Southern
Queensland, Australia and Director USQ European Study Centre, Bretten,
Germany)
"Using Interlibrary Loan Management Software": This paper will describe the services
and systems available to distance education students of the University of Southern
Queensland, including implementation of LIDDAS (Local Interlending and Document
Delivery Administration System) software which enables users to identify and
locate resources for delivery directly to their desk top or home.
Una O'Sullivan - presenter's name to be advised
"ROUTES - a virtual collection of Resources for Open University Students": This
paper describes the role of the Open University as a learning facilitator and
focuses on one of the core Library projects. The ROUTES (Resources for Open University
Teachers and Students) Gateway improves access by off-campus OU students to a
searchable collection of external Internet resources.
Hanne Marie Kvaerndrup (Library Advisory Officer, Danish National
Library Authority, Denmark)
"Denmark's Electronic Research Library": The vision of Denmark's Electronic Research
Library is to form a virtual system of research libraries which transcends the
borders of regional and local libraries, emerging as one large, coherent information
system. This paper describes the vision to establish Denmark's Electronic Research
Library as a facilitator of an efficient national information supply.
Peter Stubley (Librarian at the University of Sheffield Library,
UK and Project Director of RIDING)
"RIDING - Levering real services from a virtual catalogue": Library catalogues
must be accessible to provide guidance to users on how to find materials and
the catalyst for access to multiple catalogues is the search and retrieval protocol
Z39.50. The RIDING: Z39.50 Gateway to Yorkshire Libraries project investigates
the potential of Z39.50 by creating a Gateway for access to eleven library catalogues
and is taking positive strides to creating real services from the potential of
virtual catalogues.
Helen Edwards (Head of Library, London Business School, UK)
"Helping the Librarian to help the user - the Headline personal user interface":
The Headline project began in January 1998 with the aim to design and implement
a working model of the hybrid library in academic working environments and is
designed from a library practitioner perspective. This paper describes the personal
user interface (PUI) used by Headline to present resources to users which includes
feedback mechanisms to support development of the service in response to user
interaction.
Anne Morris (Senior Lecturer, Department of Information Science,
Loughborough University, UK and Head of eLIb FIDDO Project) and Neil
Jacobs (Research Assistant, Department of Information Science, Loughborough
University, UK and eLib FIDDO Project Manager)
"Experiences of using electronic document delivery services from workplace and
home": This paper focuses on inter-library loans services and examines the feasibility
of using commercial services to provide documents electronically directly to
users. The paper will be informed by the results of the FIDDO (Focused Investigation
of Document Delivery Options) study.
Ian Pettman (former Environment SIG Co-ordinator, UNIverse Project,
Cumbria, UK) and Katie Birch (Document Delivery Project Officer, University
of Leeds, UK):
"Spanning the UNIverse: User access to European resources through one interface":
This paper addresses the use of ISO Z39.50 and other standards to overcome the
problems of physical union catalogues by providing the software for simultaneous
searching of multiple distributed databases and catalogue: a virtual union catalogue.
Sue McKnight: (University Librarian, Deakin University, Geelong,
Australia)
"Delivering library services to remote users: The Deakin Learning Toolkit": The
Deakin University Library, together with other University service providers,
has produced two products for off-campus students. The Deakin Learning Toolkit
CD-Rom provides information, programs and tutorials and a video features library
services and access methods for off-campus students.
Jan Bronder (Senior Adviser) and Goffe Germeraad (Unit Manager,
City Library, Rotterdam, The Netherlands)
"How the Rotterdam Municipal Library redefines its position in a changing society":
The traditional function of the public library is to select and make available
information. However due to changes in society libraries have to redefine their
role as information navigators. This paper presents developments in the City
Library Rotterdam that are examples of how public libraries can respond to the
challenge of change.
Brigitte Kuhne (Director of Kalmar Lans Bibliotek, Kalmar Sweden)
"The DERAL project: - Distance education in rural areas via libraries": This
paper presents the DERAL project which aims to establish guidelines for public
libraries and librarians to enable people in different European countries to
participate in lifelong learning, distance education and the information society.
Rob Davies (Education for Change, London UK)
"ISTAR Networks: public libraries, training and awareness raising in regional
information society development": The aim of the ISTAR Networks project is to
test and develop the role of public libraries as providers of information and
training services for new and specialised user groups who need access to open
and distance learning facilities.
Judy Watkins (Senior Research Officer, British Library Copyright
Office, London, UK) and Richard Ebdon (Research Officer, British Library,
Weatherby, UK)
"SEDODEL: Helping to ensure quality of information provision for visually impaired
people": Electronic Rights Management Systems address copyright problems but
are often incompatible with different types of access technology making it impossible
for visually impaired people to access them. This paper presents the work of
the SEDODEL project which is developing the CopySmart ERMS to make it fully accessible
at all levels.
Jenny Craven (Research Fellow, CERLIM, Manchester Metropolitan
University, UK)
"Lifting barriers to learning: improving accessibility through good Web design":
This paper will consider issues surrounding the concept of lifelong learning
and the problems of inequitable provision due to inaccessible resources, specifically
those delivered via the world wide web. The paper will also highlight the recommendation
for good practice identified by the REVIEL project.
Adalyn Watts (Director of off campus Library Services, University
of La Verne, California, USA) and Jolene Mendrinos (Library Director,
La Verne College, Athens, Greece)
"International co-operation of different types of library": The Library of La
Verne College Athens has flourished in cooperation with its parent institution
by supplementing its resources through use of those of the larger campus in California.
The Librarians have tried to implement the mission of the University in resource
provision and have developed a system that is a useful adjunct to the education
of the students.
Elizabeth Heaps (University Librarian, University of York, and
Chair of SCONUL, UK)
"Open access? Libraries and distance learning in UK higher education institutions":
This paper describes the work of the SCONUL Task Force for Access which was set
up to investigate library provision for distance learning in UK universities,
to encourage cooperation between university libraries and to propose a statement
which all universities are prepared to adopt.
Zoë Clarke (Senior Research Fellow, CERLIM Manchester Metropolitan
University, UK) and Monica Brinkley (Research Officer, Dublin City University,
Ireland)
"Management information for the delivery of quality library services to distance
users": Library managers need to access management information that will inform
them about the service their distant users are receiving and whether it is equitable
to the service received by on-site users. The EQUINOX project addresses these
needs through the development of performance measurement and quality management
software for the hybrid library.
Juliet Eve, Research Fellow, CERLIM
"The evaluation of IT facilities for lifelong learning in UK public libraries:
the VITAL project". The VITAL (Value and Impact of IT Access in Libraries) project
tested and developed a set of methodologies for use in public libraries which
will provide the essential data needed to assist policy makers and library managers
with future decisions about the allocation of resources.