Canvassing Greek Academic Librarians’ Opinion of Their Organizations’ Position on the Library Evolution Continuum
Published:
Jun 1, 2019
Keywords:
academic libraries library innovation professional development information commons strategic documentation
Abstract
Purpose - The study analyzes academic librarian convenience sample’s responses to an online survey seeking to identify the current innovation and transformation facts and figures of the Greek academic library in the overarching aim to contribute to the higher education community knowledge base on current trends and challenges along the academic librarianship evolution continuum.
Design/methodology/approach – The research involved the distribution of a questionnaire that sought to investigate library staff perspectives and considerations about service provision, innovation adoption, and organizational development-related aspects. It was further complemented with additional contextual information resulting from the inspection of official library webpages.
Findings - The survey results representing 25 Greek higher education Institutions through responses received by administrative and executive staff in 22 central and nine academic branch libraries indicate academic library services with the highest and lowest statistical presence. Partnerships development is acknowledged as a top library transformation motivator while budgetary, infrastructural, and staffing issues are listed at the top of the library transformation inhibitors. There were also indications of insufficient strategic planning. Findings also suggest the need to enhance organizational development processes for sustaining and increasing innovation by transforming the library into a double loop learning organization.
Article Details
- How to Cite
-
Sant-Geronikolou, S., & Martínez-Ávila, D. (2019). Canvassing Greek Academic Librarians’ Opinion of Their Organizations’ Position on the Library Evolution Continuum. Journal of Integrated Information Management, 4(1), 7–17. Retrieved from https://ejournals.epublishing.ekt.gr/index.php/jiim/article/view/37867
- Section
- Research Articles
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
Copyright Notice
Authors who publish with JIIM agree to the following terms:
- Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License that allows others to share the work with:
- An acknowledgment of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (preferably in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work.
References
Nicholas, D.; Rowlands, I.; Jubb, M. and Jamal, H.R. (2010). The impact of the economic downturn on libraries: With special reference to university libraries. The Journal of Academic Librarianship, 36(5), 376-382, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.acalib.2010.06.001
Brown M.; Gardner, C.; Cattier, A.; Christoph, K.; Fritz, J.; Jorn, L. and Metros, S. (2009). Opening up learning: From spaces to environments. EDUCAUSE Review, 44(3), 62-63. Retrieved from: https://er.educause.edu/~/media/files/article- downloads/erm09311.pdf [15 October 2018].
Little, J.K.; Page, C.; Betts, K.; Boone, S.; Faverty P.; Joosten T.; … and Schwartz, C. M. (2009). Charting the course and tapping the community: The EDUCAUSE top teaching and learning challenges 2009. Educause Review, 44(3), 30-44. Retrieved from: https://er.educause.edu/~/media/files/article- downloads/erm0932.pdf [15 October 2018].
Saunders, L. (2015). Professional Perspectives on Library and Information Science Education. The Library Quarterly, 85(4), 427–453, https://doi.org/10.1086/682735.
Wawrzaszek, S. V. and Wedaman, D. G. (2008). The academic library in a 2.0 world. ECAR Research Bulletin, 2008(19). Retrieved from: https://library.educause.edu/~/media/files/library/200 8/9/erb0819-pdf.pdf [10 September 2017].
Marcum, D. B. and George, G. (2010). The data deluge: Can libraries cope with e-science? (pp. vii-x). Santa Barbara, CA: Libraries Unlimited.
Nguyen, L. C. (2015). Establishing a participatory library model: a grounded theory study. The Journal of Academic Librarianship, 41(4), 475-487, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.acalib.2015.03.018.
Attis, D. and Koproske, C. (2013). Thirty trends shaping the future of academic libraries. Learned Publishing, 26(1), 18-23, https://doi.org/10.1087/20130104.
European University Association (2016). Public Funding Observatory Report 2016. https://eua.eu/resources/publications/717:eua-public- funding-observatory-2016.html [15 October 2018].
Pruvot, E, B.; Estemann, T. and Kupriyanova, V. (2017). Public Funding Observatory Report 2017, European University Association, Brussels, Belgium. Retrieved from: https://www.eua.eu/downloads/publications/eua-pfo- report-december-2017.pdf [27 October 2018].
Mylonas, P. (2017). National Bank of Greece (2017). Sectoral Report: Higher Education. Retrieved from: https://www.nbg.gr/greek/the-group/press-office/e- spot/reports/Documents/Education.pdf [25 August 2018].
Young, A. P.; Hernon, P. and Powell, R. R. (2006). Attributes of academic library leadership: An exploratory study of some Gen-Xers. The Journal of Academic Librarianship, 32(5), 489-502, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.acalib.2006.05.008.
Herrera-Morillas, J. L. (2009). Visibilidad en la web de los Centros de Recursos para el Aprendizaje y la Investigación (CRAI) en las Bibliotecas Universitarias. BiD: Textos Universitaris de Biblioteconomia i Documentació, 22. Retrieved from: http://bid.ub.edu/22/pdf/herrera2.pdf [10 December 2015].
Pacios, A. R. (2015). From the library to the Information Commons: an approach to the model’s development in Spain. New Library World, 116(7/8), 345-357, https://doi.org/10.1108/NLW-11-2014-0136.
Beagle, D. (2004). From information commons to learning commons. White paper for presentation at the University of Southern California Leavey Library 2004 Conference on ‘Information Commons: Learning Space Beyond the Classroom’. Retrieved from: https://www.academia.edu/3910575/From_Informatio n_Commons_to_Learning_Commons [20 October 2019].
Red de Bibliotecas Universitarias Españolas (REBIUN) (2003). Centros de Recursos para el Aprendizaje y la Investigación: Un nuevo modelo de biblioteca universitaria, Conferencia de Rectores de las Universidades Españolas, Madrid, 2003. Retrieved from: https://slideplayer.es/slide/112652/
Holmgren, R. and Spence, G. (2014). The Changing Landscape of Library and Information Services: What Stavroula Sant-Geronikolou, Daniel Martínez-Ávila Journal of Integrated Information Management - Vol 4, No 1 16 Presidents, Provosts, and Finance Officers Need to Know. White Paper, Council of Library and Information Resources (CLIR). Retrieved from: https://www.clir.org/wp- content/uploads/sites/13/pub162.pdf [20 September 2018].
Beagle, D. (2008). The learning commons in historical context. Annals of Nagoya University Library Studies, (7), 25-34. Retrieved from: http://www.nul.nagoya- u.ac.jp/libst/pdf/annals_07_03.pdf [20 October 2019].
Koukourakis, M. (2011). Greek academic repositories: policies for making available scientific and cultural content. In A. Katsirikou & C. Skiadas (Eds.): New trends in qualitative and quantitative methods in libraries (pp. 103-120). Singapore: World Scientific Publishing, https://doi.org/10.1142/9789814350303_0014.
Wegner G. (2007). Changing Roles of Academic and Research Libraries". Roundtable on Technology and Change in Academic Libraries, American Library Association, April 18, 2007. Retrieved from: http://www.ala.org/acrl/issues/value/changingroles [1 February 2017].
Budd, J. M. (1998). The Academic Library: Its Context, Its Purpose, and Its Operation. Englewood CO: Libraries Unlimited Inc.
Brennan, J. and Shah, T. (Eds.). (2011). Higher Education and Society in changing times: looking back and looking forward. Center for Higher Education Research and Information. Retrieved from: http://www.open.ac.uk/cheri/documents/Lookingback andlookingforward.pdf [15 October 2018].
Damanpour, F. and Evan, W. M. (1984). Organizational innovation and performance: the problem of" organizational lag". Administrative science quarterly, 29(3) 392-409.
Quiñones G.A. (2011). Facebook: McLuhan's global village? In Ciastellardi M. & Patti E. (Eds). Understanding Media Today: McLuhan in the Era of Convergence Culture, (pp. 108-117). Barcelona: Editorial UOC.
Stone, E. W. (1971). Quest for expertise: A librarian’s responsibility. College and Research Libraries, 32(6),432-441. Retrieved from: https://www.ideals.illinois.edu/bitstream/handle/2142 /38614/crl_32_06_432_opt.pdf?sequence=2 [12 August 2017].
Kriezi V. and Iliopoulos C. (2005). Oi Akademaïkes Bibliothekes sten Ellada os organismoi Diacheirises Gnoses: nees prokleseis kai eukairies gia tous Epistemones tes Plerophoreses [Greek academic libraries as knowledge management organizations: new challenges and opportunities for information professionals]. Paper presented at 14th Hellenic Academic Libraries Conference, Athens University of Applied Sciences, https://lekythos.library.ucy.ac.cy/handle/10797/12147
Senge, P. M. (2014). The fifth discipline fieldbook: Strategies and tools for building a learning organization. New York, USA: Crown Publishing Group.
Myburgh, S. (2003). Education directions for new information professionals. The Australian Library Journal, 52(3), 213-227, https://doi.org/10.1080/00049670.2003.10721549.
Weiner, S. G. (2003). Resistance to change in libraries: Application of communication theories. portal: Libraries and the Academy, 3(1), 69-78, https://doi.org/10.1353/pla.2003.0022.
Lankes, R. D. (2011). The Atlas of New Librarianship. Cambridge, Massachusetts: MIT Press.
Riley-Huff, D. A. and Rholes, J. M. (2011). Librarians and technology skill acquisition: Issues and perspectives. Information Technology and Libraries, 30(3), 129-140. Retrieved from: https://ejournals.bc.edu/ojs/index.php/ital/article/vie w/1770/1675 [22 March 2017].
Online Computer Library Center (OCLC). A Snapshot of Priorities and Perspectives.UK Academic Libraries. Report 2012. Retrieved from: https://www.oclc.org/content/dam/oclc/reports/uk- libraries/214758ukb-A-Member-Communication- Survey-Report-UK-academic.pdf [15 January 2019].
Kuchi, T. (2006). Communicating mission: An analysis of academic library web sites. The Journal of Academic Librarianship, 32(2), 148-154, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.acalib.2005.12.006.
Giannakopoulos, G.; Koulouris, A. and Kokkinos, D. (2014). Libraries in crisis: a glimpse over Greece and Cyprus. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 147, 411-417, http://hdl.handle.net/11400/11172.
Katsirikou, Α. (2008). To Management ton Bibliothekon kai e epídrase tou Anthropinou Paragonta. Pos auto diamorphonetai sten Ellenike Pragmatikoteta. [Libraries management and human resources. The situation of Greek libraries]. Doctoral Dissertation, Ionian University. Retrieved from: https://lekythos.library.ucy.ac.cy/handle/10797/13133 [7 September 2016].
Kiriaki-Manessi, D. (2002). E bibliothekonomike pragmatikoteta ste chora mas: synergasies kai prooptikes [Librarianship realities in our country; partnerships and perspectives]. Bibliothekes & Plerophorese, 15, 7-9.
Korobili-Xantinidou, S. (2005). E anankaioteta tes kathodegetikes strategikes stis bibliothekes ton ekpaideutikon idrymaton [The necessity of information literacy and the development of instructional design in Academic Libraries]. Paper presented at the 14th Panhellenic Academic Library Conference, Technological Educational Institute of Athens, 2005, http://hdl.handle.net/10797/12151.
Korobili-Xantinidou, S.; Moreleli-Cacouris M. and Tilikidou, I. (2003). Concepts, reality and suggestions about Greek library management education”, New Library World, 104(6):203-217, https://doi.org/10.1108/03074800310481885.
Margiola, A. and Kostagiolas, P. (2008). Analyse tou montelou LISIM gia ten epharmoge tou stis Ellenikes Demosies Bibliothekes [Analysis of the LISIM model for Stavroula Sant-Geronikolou, Daniel Martínez-Ávila Journal of Integrated Information Management - Vol 4, No 1 17 implementation in Greek public libraries]. Paper presented at 17th Panhellenic Academic Libraries Conference, Ioannina, 2008. Retrieved from: http://17conf.lib.uoi.gr/files/c5.2.Margiola- Kostagiolas.pdf [10 October 2018].
Sioula, Α. and Garoufallou, Ε. (2008). Ereuna gia ten Epimorphose ton Ergazomenon stis Bibliothekes ton TEI kai protaseis Esoterikes Axiologeses kai Beltistopoieses ton Epimorphotikon Programmaton [Research on Technological Educational Institutes’ library staff professional development and Internal Audit CPD program recommendations]. Paper presented at the 17th Panhellenic Academic Library Conference, Ιoannina (Greece) 24-26 September 2008. Retrieved from: https://lekythos.library.ucy.ac.cy/handle/10797/11439 ?show=full [18 July 2018].
Vassilakaki, E. (2017). New Trends in Higher Education: Can Information Professionals Rise to the Challenge? In D. Baker and W. Evans (Eds). The End of Wisdom? (pp. 119-122). Oxford, UK: Chandos Publishing, https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-08-100142-4.00012-9
Prusak, L. and Matson, E. (2006). Knowledge management and organizational learning: A reader. Oxford University Press.
