Kołodzińska & Ganińska, Part 6
5. Conclusions for the Strategy of the Technical University’s Library of the Hybrid Structure
5.1. Developing an Information Model in the Technical University’s Library
The aim of developing an information model in the Technical University’s Library is to develop and strengthen all aspects of scientific and technical information (STI). STI is considered to be the basis of knowledge and, correspondingly, the following are considered to be the attributes of scientific and technical information as the basis of knowledge, in other words knowledge data:
- elements of the information (its users, root source collections, information technologies, computer network, STI specialists);
- processes (gathering root source information, scientific description of information sources, making information resources accessible and available);
- activities (user and personnel communication — direct STI, face–to–face and indirect via traditional mail, telephone, fax and electronic mail, as well as elaborating — by STI personnel — answers to the questions of the collective and individual end–user, i.e. one–to–one and help and discipline–oriented consultations) [22].
An additional objective is for STI to help the library survive and meet the needs of the rapidly developing environment of the technical university: one that is based on information, education and research, and oriented towards the society of knowledge [23].
5.2. Strategic Activities
Strategic activities should be undertaken in at least five areas:
5.2.1. Giving up the functional structure of the library (based on branches and the division of functions within branches; with printed and electronic collections/library).
5.2.2. Strengthening the matrix structure (based on decentralization and operational flexibility in task–based teams; with printed resources, digital databases and access to full–text content as well as automated and integrated library system). The characteristics of the matrix structure are presented in Figure 4.
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Figure 4: Changes of organizational structure.[24]
5.2.3. Transformation into the hybrid (library) structure (Figure 5); this structure combines two worlds of the library: the real or physical library and the virtual library, the latter one being characterized by virtual organization of activities, multifunction library portal and overlapping:
- omni–resources (universal resources);
- direct and indirect remote services, in particular dedicated to disciplines and individual needs (developing the so called service personalization);
- scientific social communication, that is scientific announcements/information on research results and discoveries delivered in different forms [25]. These are to be found in the society of knowledge [26].
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Figure 5: The structure of the hybrid library.
5.2.4. Educating and improving information skills (information literacy) of the virtual librarian/virtual information specialist. The virtual librarian, alias information specialist, is a person learning and teaching:
- technical university students;
- information skills;
- according to the models approved in the world, which we can use;
- new programs, which should be elaborated as soon as possible, following those approved and tested [27].
5.2.5. Effectively:
- managing information services;
- applying methods of the assessment of economic effectiveness in the process of making a quality decision;
- using operational research (British English “operational research”, American English “operations research”) [28].
At this point the question remains to be answered: are we ready co–create — along with the changing, learning and creative society and the scientific progress — the reality of the virtual library, integrated with the structures of science and education?