Developing an Automated and Dynamic Library Environment:
A Planning, Training, and Implementation Program for Carnegie Grantee University Libraries
Organization Mission
The mission of the Mortenson Center for International Library Programs is to strengthen international ties among libraries and librarians worldwide for the promotion of international education, understanding, and peace. To date, more than 600 librarians from 85 countries have participated in continuing education programs at the Center.
Project Goal
The goal of the project is to assist librarians from seven Carnegie grantee institutions in East and West Africa to move into a fully automated on-line catalog environment and a computer-based library management system that will better serve the research and learning needs of their users.
Strategic Objectives
The project has six key objectives:
- Each university will commit to the goal of the project and undertake the task of identifying or procuring the needed resources (in conjunction with the Carnegie Corporation, if necessary)
- Each university library, with the assistance of the Mortenson Center, will engage in an automation planning process and will develop a comprehensive plan for library automation with measurable goals.
- Each university library and its staff will actively participate in the implementation of an automated catalog and a computer-based library management system and will report regularly to the Mortenson Center on the progress of the implementation.
- The library administrators and staff will develop expertise in the planning for,and the implementation of, an automated library system.
- The Mortenson Center will assist each university library in the implementing of an automated system by providing or coordinating the necessary planning, technical and professional development assistance over the three years of the project.
- The university libraries and the Mortenson Center will work together to establish better communication with library software and hardware vendors and to encourage the vendors to provide better assistance for their products.
Proposed Activities
The Mortenson Center has identified seven major activities for this project. They include: establishment of a Mortenson Center team, three site visits, establishment of anon-going training and technical support system, participation of library staff in the Mortenson Center program for professional development, development of a two-way reporting and communication system between the Mortenson Center team and the library project planning teams, increased communication with library software and hardware vendors, and a strong ongoing evaluation component.
Expected Outcomes
Our goal is that all seven institutions will make measurable progress toward the implementation of a fully automated online library catalog and library management system. In addition, we expect the following specific outcomes:
- A written agreement between the Mortenson Center team and each institution detailing the goals of the project, and committing to identifying and/or procuring the needed resources for the project.
- A baseline assessment by the Mortenson Center team of the current plans and strategies for automation at each institution.
- The development of a comprehensive automation plan with measurable goals at each institution.
- The formation of a team of well-trained individuals at each institution.
- More effective relations between each library and the software and hardware vendor community.
- A final assessment document by the Mortenson Center team that will review the progress of each institution and offer strategies for future plans.