Location
CTICC- ROOM 2
Session Number
1B4
Keywords
Co-operation, Finland, Higher education libraries, Mergers, Organizational structures, Restructuring, University libraries
Description
The number of universities and universities of applied sciences has been cut down in Finland. This process will be the future trend. Different levels of collaborative work is going on in order to find new forms of organizing library services. In 2011 Lappeenranta University of Technology (LUT) and Saimaa University of Applied Sciences (SUAS) set up a joint library, Lappeenranta Academic Library (LAL). Arrangements and planning were carried out in 1,5 yrs. The project was many-sided as a joint library was to be created, not to merge two universities. The Academic Library is a part of LUT organization and the library personnel is employed by LUT. Library services in general are equal, but different needs can also be taken into account. Demands on services for researchers, teachers and students may differ depending on university, but generally all services are available to members of either organization. Printed collections are combined but electronic collections are still separate. Databases are licensed to organizations, not libraries. There are double agreements on licenses. The fact that there are separate networks in library premises is problematic. In electronic licenses no savings are achieved, but the situation is better in print collections. Also less people work in the library now as the services have been adjusted. The library serves new fields of science now. This process forced the staff to a learning process. Librarians have to understand the thinking in distinct fields of science. The data administration departments work together, too. A forum has been set up to highlight questions and problems concerning joint libraries such as the status of personnel, consortium level actions and licensing of electronic material. Joint libraries are one answer to resource problems of libraries in the future.
Included in
A JOINT LIBRARY OF TWO UNIVERSITIES CASE: LAPPEENRANTA ACADEMIC LIBRARY
CTICC- ROOM 2
The number of universities and universities of applied sciences has been cut down in Finland. This process will be the future trend. Different levels of collaborative work is going on in order to find new forms of organizing library services. In 2011 Lappeenranta University of Technology (LUT) and Saimaa University of Applied Sciences (SUAS) set up a joint library, Lappeenranta Academic Library (LAL). Arrangements and planning were carried out in 1,5 yrs. The project was many-sided as a joint library was to be created, not to merge two universities. The Academic Library is a part of LUT organization and the library personnel is employed by LUT. Library services in general are equal, but different needs can also be taken into account. Demands on services for researchers, teachers and students may differ depending on university, but generally all services are available to members of either organization. Printed collections are combined but electronic collections are still separate. Databases are licensed to organizations, not libraries. There are double agreements on licenses. The fact that there are separate networks in library premises is problematic. In electronic licenses no savings are achieved, but the situation is better in print collections. Also less people work in the library now as the services have been adjusted. The library serves new fields of science now. This process forced the staff to a learning process. Librarians have to understand the thinking in distinct fields of science. The data administration departments work together, too. A forum has been set up to highlight questions and problems concerning joint libraries such as the status of personnel, consortium level actions and licensing of electronic material. Joint libraries are one answer to resource problems of libraries in the future.