Individual Casestudies

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Biblio.for.mEDA Project(Leonardo Programme)

• Individual Case-studies
• Budapest University of Economics and Public
  Administration
• Central University Library

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General Perspectives

• long historic reading traditions in Hungary, as
  part of national cultural profile
• numerous family libraries rich in valuable books
• traditional mentality values reading and
  humanities
• the change of regime alters the situation

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General Perspectives

• Economic and social changes decrease average
  peoples financial means
• books not affordable for average people
• increasing libraries role in community life, yet
  prejudices of formerly well-off people against
  resorting to visiting libraries
• younger generation reads less, due to increased
  TV and IT penetration into society
• libraries have to rethink their strategies and
  their function in society

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1 - Quantitative Data

• N. of Users 2003 523,625 (187,361-personal
  users 336,264 distant users)
• Population served students and academics of the
  University of Economics and Public administration
  and the open public
• Personnel of the library
• 61 persons (52 full-time, 9 part-time), all
  properly trained (basicly librarians, economists
  and IT experts)
• Other data
• Books altogether 516,816 ( 478,808 volumes, 140
  audio-visual items, 1212 electronic documents,
  other kinds 36,656)
• Periodicals 702 traditional titles, 12,347
  electronic titles
• Daily papers 11 titles

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1-Quantitative data (continued)

• The library was built 20 years ago, being easily
  accessible, even for disabled people
• it operates in an open shelf system and has 500
  seats for self-study, which is not enough
  especially in the exam periods ( 150-200 usage)
• special rooms for consultations, research and
  Information Technology cabinets
• reading rooms on three levels specially designed
  for the students, teachers and researchers
  needs
• specialised rooms for international publications
  and research (2nd floor), as well as for learning
  (1st floor), for Internet and other on-line
  services (ground floor)

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2 Selection Criteria

• Good practices in the annual Library plan
• collection classification based on generic terms
  identically used both in the database and in all
  the reading areas
• opening hours ( 9-20p.m. on weekdays, 9-13 p.m.
  on Saturdays, all Sundays in examination
  periods) and services set up based on national
  acts and in accordance with target group needs
  (e.g. Students Union)
• in the new building to be erected IT services
  planned to be accessible 24 hours a day
• clear subscription rules and library maps,
  brochures, different presentations helping access
  to library services (even testing new services
  for feedback).
• Quality Assurance Guidebook regulates and helps
  improving services, based on readers feedback
• regular institutional accreditation process
  controls library services, as well.

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2 Selection Criteria (continued)

• Services for the community
• operates as a service provider within the
  Hungarian National Library System (ODR), being in
  connection both with higher education and public
  education libraries
• provides inter-library and documentation sending
  services (making use of traditional and network
  transport channels)
• introduction and presentation of the library and
  its services in different fairs and events
• as member of the EBSLG (European Business Schools
  Librarians Group) and of several national
  networks participates in common research
  programmes
• close links with other higher education libraries
  in order to improve services for readers

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3-Development Strategy Objectives

• Acquisition of new books, documents and IT
  devices in order to keep up-to-date
• building a new site in order to enhance space and
  enrich services
• periodical evaluation of patrimony to assure
  permanent progress and development
• expanding network with other libraries and
  agencies in order to improve and enhance the
  amount and quality of services
• sustaining research activities and educational
  programmes with the help of documentation
  resources, databases and supplementary services

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3-Development Strategy Objectives (continued)

• providing resources and school programmes to
  encourage and promote library services and
  improve the educational standards
• acquisition of new material depending on needs
  and demands, as well as the degree of use
• administration based on different means of
  acquisition, reports and evaluation procedures
• taking into consideration all technical changes
  that might affect collection development

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4-Lifelong Learning activities

• Special programme with the Neumann János
  Information Technology Society (entitled HÁLÓRA!
  /Onto the Net!) aimed at testing a general
  Hungarian Internet usage e-syllabus
• elaborated a source usage e-learning teaching
  material together with EDUWEB and the Department
  of Pedagogy
• participated in content management and content
  service tasks related to university e-learning
  teaching materials
• organises professional conferences and fairs,
  cultural activities, book presentations (e.g.
  2003- mini-conference and exhibition on Deák
  Ferenc anniversary, 2002-E-learning and
  university libraries conference, University
  Libraries and Information-based Society
  conference, book presentations and presentation
  of the activity of famous Hungarian and
  international economists and diplomats- e.g.
  Heller Farkas. Kossuth Lajos)

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4 Initiatives in the LLL field

• Promotion of local culture and history- by
  organising exhibitions and conferences devoted to
  the most famous economists and diplomats of the
  nation and of the international world
• Education with other educational agencies and
  libraries- setting up a network with other
  agencies ( exchange of experience and services
  with 77 similar institutions from abroad)
• Elaborating and testing e-teaching material in
  co-operation with other libraries, agencies and
  faculties of the university
• participating in national and international
  research projects (MOKKA, ODR, ESF, Phare etc)

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4.1 Description of the Initiative
Aims of the Initiative/Project HÁLÓRA project
initiated by the library together with Neumann
János Information Technology Scientific Society-
aiming at elaborating and testing a comprehensive
teaching material for general Hungarian Internet
usage, in order to promote faniliarising with the
Internet and with Computer Sciences for learning
and research purposes. The target group are both
students and outsiders of a wide age range that
have different purposes in using the
Internet.
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4.2 Description of the Initiative

• Tools for achieving the aims (e.g. methods,
  phases of the project, equipment, library
  facilities, etc.)
• specialised staff both in computer sciences and
  in different professional fields
• all research and study rooms of the library with
  the necessary equipment
• curriculum development, research technologies, IT
  methodology, distant learning methodology,
• the project has been accomplished,

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4.3 Description of the Initiative

• Target Groups
• students of the different faculties belonging to
  the university
• teaching staff and researchers working for the
  university
• staff and students belonging to the other
  institutions and agencies that are part of the
  network
• population of the capital, Budapest
• subscribers of the libraries abroad that are part
  of the network

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4.4 Description of the Initiative

• Venue/venues of the Initiative
• the sites of the library and of the University in
  Budapest
• the sites of other cultural and educational
  institutions that this library usually
  co-operates with (all over the country and in
  Budapest)

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4.5 Description of the Initiative

• Possible Partners
• Neumann János Information Technology Scientific
  Society
• EBSLG (European Business Schools Librarians
  Group)
• EDUWEB
• different faculties of the University and other
  partner educational institutions
• National Librarians Agency
• Schools
• Scientific societies

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4.6 Description of the Initiative

• Conclusive Remarks
• Positive outcomes
• new e-learning teaching material used in
  traditional and in distant education
• new co-operation network that could be the basis
  of future programmes and initiatives
• new skills and way of thinking that has an impact
  on every protagonists life and activity,
  irrespective of the field
• Difficulties
• the old infrustructure and lack of necessary
  finances and resources make implementation of
  programmes more difficult
• the over-bureaucratic programme financing
  procedures delay things