National Libraries as Institutes of International Understanding Among Member States of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS)

Abstract

This paper provides an overview of the practice of librarianship at the sub-regional level in West Africa. Functions of national libraries that are widely known are examined. The case is made for the implementation of the proposed Federation of West African Library Association (FWALA). A proposal is also made for the establishment of a sub-regional library and a network of the national libraries of the member countries of ECOWAS at a secondary level. The roles that various arms of the proposed structure can play to promote free flow of information in the sub-region are then discussed.     

Contemporary issues in collection development programmes of Nigerian university libraries

The article focuses on contemporary problems affecting the collection development programmes of university libraries in Nigeria. The global economic recession of the 1980's is identified as the significant variable for the success and failure of these programmes the world over; hence the treatment of the subject in both a global and national context. At the national level, special examination is made of the financial problems facing Nigerian university libraries and their impact on collection growth and development. While the article agrees that improved budgetary provisions could eradicate the current constraints, it suggests that library co-operative networking should be adopted as a cost-effective option for future collection development in university libraries in Nigeria.     

University library functions in West Africa

Academic libraries, particularly in the developed world, are functionally active, providing improved reader and house-keeping services due to developments in computer and telecommunications technology. But, a survey conducted in 27 English-speaking West African university libraries showed there to be a degree of inactivity among the libraries as judged by the level of priority attached to their legitimate functions. The libraries also showed a marked preference for functions which are not considered complex in their execution. Results from five university libraries selected from other English-speaking zones of Africa were used to corroborate or compare those from the West African sub-region. The results showed that these other libraries are also more or less functionally inert.     

University library functions in West Africa

Academic libraries, particularly in the developed world, are functionally active, providing improved reader and house-keeping services due to developments in computer and telecommunications technology. But, a survey conducted in 27 English-speaking West African university libraries showed there to be a degree of inactivity among the libraries as judged by the level of priority attached to their legitimate functions. The libraries also showed a marked preference for functions which are not considered complex in their execution. Results from five university libraries selected from other English-speaking zones of Africa were used to corroborate or compare those from the West African sub-region. The results showed that these other libraries are also more or less functionally inert.     

Health sciences libraries in the United States: new directions

This article is the third in a series in this regular feature. The intention of the series is to look at important global developments in health science libraries. These articles will serve as a road map, describing the key changes in the field and exploring factors driving these changes. The present article by the current president of the Medical Library Association outlines two important developments in the United States. The topics chosen for consideration are national initiatives in the United States impacting health sciences libraries and librarians and enhanced roles for U.S. health sciences librarians in providing support for research. J.M.     

美国中小学图书馆战略规划体系研究:国家、地区与行业的联动模式

中小学图书馆的战略规划一直是图书馆战略规划研究的一个盲点,却具有重要的研究意义。从20世纪70年代起,美国即开始制定面向学校图书馆的战略规划,以此促进学校图书馆事业的发展。美国与中小学图书馆相关的规划制定主体主要有三类:联邦教育部、学区、行业协会,分别代表着国家、地区、行业3个不同的层级。不同层级的战略规划对学校图书馆事业的促进作用不同,又相互关联,从而形成战略规划体系。这一体系的联动模式具有以下特征:学校图书馆体系与公共图书馆体系合作实现共赢;重视前期调查和研究,强调战略规划的科学性和系统性;重视学区的基础性作用,强化学区内的资源整合。国家、地区与行业的联动模式对我国学校图书馆构建战略规划体系具有参考价值。     

Medical school libraries in the United States and Canada built between 1961 and 1971.

Twenty-four medical school libraries in the United States and Canada build between 1961 and 1971 were surveyed by means of questionnaires and visits. Results indicated that half of these libraries will have reached maximum functional capacity approximately six years after they were moved into their new quarters. Space for technical processing is generally much less than is required. Special features and examples of effective planning are described, and problems in arrangement, traffic patterns for people and materials, and the lack of logical expansion space are discussed. Comparisons are made with a similar survey of twenty medical school libraries made in 1961.     

Medical school libraries in the United States and Canada built between 1961 and 1971.

Twenty-four medical school libraries in the United States and Canada built between 1961 and 1971 were surveyed by means of questionnaires and visits. Results indicated that half of these libraries will have reached maximum functional capacity approximately six years after they moved into their new quarters. Space for technical processing is generally much less than required. Special features and examples of effective planning are described, and problems in arrangement, traffic patterns for people and materials, and the lack of logical expansion space are discussed. Comparisons are made with a similar survey of twenty medical school libraries made in 1961.     

Selected Test Collections in the United States:

Although a literature search yields much data on validity, reliability and construction of educational and psychological tests, little information on test collection management in libraries is available. The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign initiated a survey of selected test collections in order to verify that their practices conformed with those of other institutions. An attempt was also made to rank collections and compare staff and budget allocations. The fact that two other institutions were found during the distribution and compilation of the survey to be engaged in a similar activity indicates that there is currently great interest in the management of test collections in libraries.     

国外高校图书馆出版服务实践及启示

高校图书馆出版服务是学术交流的创新模式,研究国外高校图书馆的出版实践,有助于促进我国高校图书馆更好地开展出版服务.以国外高校图书馆的出版途径为基础,对近五年《图书馆出版名录》涉及的各项出版物类型进行数量对比和趋势分析.鉴于国内外出版物管理制度的不同,结合我国出版机制的现实情况和基本国情,探析适合我国高校图书馆出版服务的...     

Emergency Preparedness in the Legal Librarian Community in the United States: Current Culture and the Need to Expand Collaboration

The frequency of natural disasters hitting populated areas is increasing, and due to society’s increased dependency on modern infrastructure, the impacts of disasters have also escalated. I interviewed librarians and law librarians who work or have worked in libraries that were impacted by natural disasters as well as experts in the disaster management field. From their comments and insights, shared in this article, it is clear that there are lessons that can be learned from the larger community in the area of disaster management in law libraries. The law librarian community needs to expand the scope of the national discussion to include disaster management. The key lessons obtained in these national forums, like those shared by the subject matter experts I interviewed, will enable law libraries to become a more resilient and an even more valuable asset to the communities we serve when a natural disaster strikes.     

美国基层图书馆服务研究

无论从服务理念、服务对象还是服务手段来看,美国基层图书馆的服务都是极其广泛和周到的。究其原因可知：从体制上说,公民意识强烈,国家民主体制健全;从制度上说,得到国家立法和地方税收支持;从机制上说,馆员配备机制和监督反馈机制较为完善。美国基层图书馆的服务成功说明,政府是保证基层图书馆得以持续发展的重要原因;图书馆应开展建立在社区基础上的调研,不断了解新的社会信息需求,把握读者真实需求的方向;图书馆应承担起培养民主、尊重人权的社会责任。     

适用于图书馆的技术措施规避例外现状剖析

从世界层面、地区层面和主要国家层面三个角度分析可适用于图书馆的技术措施规避例外的发展现状,指出主要国家著作权法律有关图书馆可适用的技术措施规避例外规定的现状特点表现为：概括性例外与个别性例外并存;对图书馆可适用的技术措施规避例外实施严格限制;建立可适用于图书馆的技术措施规避例外的定期修订机制。     

民族地区非物质文化遗产保护与高校图书馆的作用——以湘西自治州为例

面对民族地区亟待保护的珍贵的民族民间文化遗产,民族地区高校图书馆也有责任发挥积极作用,可以从加强宣传教育、加强地方文献建设、为申遗服务、开展非物质文化遗产研究等方面来做工作。     

Designs of duty: Using exhibits to build partnerships

Exhibits in academic libraries are drivers for outreach. Many exhibit programs center on national traveling exhibits often because they are well done and already completed. The only input necessary from a host institution is space and a small amount of time to put up the exhibit. Locally made exhibits create a stronger connection to the community, but they are more expensive in terms of time for research and creating the exhibit, and money for printing. The adage “many hands make light work” accurately describes the local exhibit creation process when multiple groups come together. Partnerships between libraries to share exhibit content broaden the Pool of exhibit possibilities and raise awareness of exhibit programs for all partners. In this case, an exhibit at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign that focused on veterans and their service-related tattoos was picked up and built upon by Eastern Illinois University. This case study covers multiple libraries, both academic and public, sharing an exhibit about veterans and their tattoos, providing outreach opportunities to veteran and service member populations at all participating libraries     

Access to Information in the Nordic Countries

This article concentrates on the national services and databases in the Nordic countries. The availability of information via networks is the main discussion topic. The Nordic libraries have a long tradition of cooperation. The basic idea at present is to make the national information of each country available to all users within Scandinavia, to create a "Union Nordic Library." The necessary qualifications for that kind of co-operation are very good: the development of the national systems is in process or already operational at a high technical level; the Nordic research networks are connected to each other and to international networks; the data itself is in standardized form and very well covers the recent publications.     

Hospital libraries in West Germany: an overview of reference services.

This article presents a study on reference services in German hospital libraries. Information for the study was obtained through personal interviews conducted at four libraries in Stuttgart, West Germany in August 1985. A detailed questionnaire covering services provided, staff training, and use of computers was used during the interviews. While reference services are minimal at the libraries in the study, the commitment to patient library services in Germany is exceptional.     

Journal usage in NHS hospitals: a comparison report of total usage at an acute NHS Trust and a specialist NHS Trust in the North West of England

BACKGROUND: Health care libraries spend a large amount of their non-pay budgets on the purchase of scientific, technical and medical journals. In a typical hospital library in the National Health Service (NHS) North West Strategic Health Authority (SHA), this can represent between 80 and 90% of the collection development budget. METHODS AND RESULTS: Data were collected from 1 December 2005 to 30 November 2006 using COUNTER-generated usage statistics obtained from publishers' administration tools. Between the two trusts included in the study, 93 376 full-text article downloads were recorded; of these, 15 952 or 17.1% articles were downloaded from national core content journals via Proquest. Photocopies made by users for their own use were recorded whenever this data were available. CONCLUSIONS: NHS staff at the sites included in this study recorded a high volume of journal usage. There was a marked difference in usage patterns between the acute and specialist trusts in the study. The journals provided by national core content represented a much higher proportion of total usage at the acute trust (29.9%) compared with the specialist cancer trust (4.5%). This study supports the view that the local purchasing of journal titles is an important component of the overall journal-based information provision to NHS staff.