Supervising together a co-operation project between county libraries, public libraries

1. Supervising together • a co-operation project between • county libraries, • public libraries • college/university libraries in south-east Sweden

2. Common Goal • Through co-operation and network • the libraries shall give the citizens access to the same service • irrespective of what kind of library they turn to. • Persons shall get the information they need: • When they need it • Where they need it • In a way that they can understand and utilize

3. From Higher Education Act Law 1992:1434 • 2 § The state shall, as the entity responsible, • provide institutions of higher education for • education based on science or art and on tested experience, and • research and artistic development and other development. The institutions of higher education shall also co-operate with the surrounding community and give information about their activities. (Law 1996:1392)

4. From The Libraries Act Law 1996:1596 § 7 The municipalities are responsible for the public and school library operations. The county councils are responsible for the county libraries and for the libraries at universities and university colleges whose principal is the county and municipal county councils. The state is responsible for other university libraries and university college libraries and for the lending centres /…/ § 7a Libraries and library bodies within library services provided through public agencies shall co-operate. Municipalities and counties shall adopt plans for the library services. (Law 2004:1261) § 10 County libraries, lending centres, university libraries and university college libraries, research libraries and other libraries funded by the state shall provide literature from their own collection free of charge at disposal for the public libraries and otherwise co-operate with the public and school libraries and support them in their efforts to offer borrowers good library service. (Unofficial translation)

5. Kick-off seminar January 2004 at the University of Kalmar Examples of subjects for the discussion: MEDIA: - Lending principles for course literature – supplementary reading literature.- Improved routines about distance loan between libraries and complementary media support. - Access to databases and electronic media. PROFESSIONAL SERVICE: - Information services, at the library, “walk in use”, e-mail, chat and so on - Instruction and supervision in information search and retrieval - Education for visiting groups - Guidance for distance students PROGRESS OF COMPETENCE / FURTHER EDUCATION FOR LIBRARY STAFF - What kind of further education does library staff want and need?- Short courses, just in time? Net based courses? Seminars? - Long-range strategy for further education?

6. Follow-up seminar January 2005 at Växjö University • Some examples for lectures and discussions during the seminar: • How do we receive and meet the students at the library? • - What is most important for different student groups: • To get much help and service? • To get supervision and guidance to learn to help themselves? • - The librarian as pedagogue: • Is there a new role for librarians with focus on pedagogy and instruction? • Dialogue about challenges and possibilities about a pedagogic role • in relation to librarians´own experiences.

7. Document from the Leading Group: Supervising together in south-east Sweden – goals and measures • GOALS: • We, university/college libraries, public libraries, hospital libraries, upper secondary school • libraries and county/regional libraries, with respect to our different tasks and target groups, • will co-operate within a number of fields to improve the media- and information support • to adult students in the counties of Blekinge, Kalmar and Kronoberg. • Latest 2009 the students in our three counties shall be able to notice • an obvious improvement of the media and information support. • The pedagogic role for the library staff shall be developed and in focus during the period. • MEASURES: • 2005, 2007 and 2009 questionnaires shall be carried out among • a representative selection of students in the three counties. • - 2005, 2007 and 2009 questionnaires shall be carried out among library staff. • A joint plan of action for co-operation shall be effected every second year • with the beginning of 2005. • - Joint further education for library staff shall be offered and effected during 2005-2009. • - In connection to the local work for library plans it is important to look after • that planned progress of information competence won't be lost. • RESPONSIBILITY: • The Leading Group for Supervising together in south-east Sweden

8. Activities, some examples Questionnaires about library services to students/distance students and to library staff Courses for further education for library staff Seminar sequences about a new pedagogic role for library staff Separate conferences and seminars of common interest

9. CONCLUSION The focus for our library work should always be to pay regard to our borrowers/visitors/students´ point of view . Our libraries and library staff can also benefit from co-operation. It is valuable to learn from each other´s experiences and competence and we can help each other to inform important target groups about the services and activities at our libraries.

10. Thank you for your attention! If you want to contact me, my address is: Ulf RedmoLänsbibliotek Sydost (County Library South-East) Soft Center S- 372 25 Ronneby Sweden Tel: +46 457 38 61 57 Fax: +46 457 107 37 E-mail: ulf.redmo@softcenter.se http://www.lansbiblioteksydost.org/ (only in Swedish)