Project Objectives and Outcomes
To address the project’s chief purpose, to increase the free flow of information for Slovak citizens via libraries, several objectives and outcomes were articulated. SK-Libris did meet or exceed most of these objectives. These successes occurred because SK-Libris developed effective relationships with individual librarians, libraries, and the library associations both in Slovakia and the United States. This collaboration helped familiarize us with libraries and librarians that, in turn, helped identify institutions that were most receptive to the goals of the project. Once these effective working relationships were developed the focus turned to the core elements that would foster activities that address project objectives and outcomes.
Evaluative comments appear in italics after the objective/outcome.
Objective 1:
Introducing the practical use of new technologies and services through promotion and use of library technologies such as: access to online catalogs, providing free citizen access to the World Wide Web, shared library resources through technology and formal agreements of reciprocity (e.g. inter-library loan), technology applications for enhancing library management, improving collection organization and increasing citizen access to resources.The Bratislava consortium began sharing resources early in the project and piloted the EBSCO database services for the project. Later, with the advent of EIFL Direct Project the scope of database access was broadened to over twenty Slovak libraries, thus providing free citizen access to databases via the WWW. The further success of the EIFL project hinges on the ability of the Slovak library community to effectively use this resource in their libraries and to, in turn, effectively market it to decision makers who can fund it. One of the challenges of this project facet was convincing our colleagues to market this program widely and on an ongoing basis. More work on effective library marketing is needed. Our Slovak colleagues certainly understood this concept on an intellectual level, but it was not widely practiced. The view of a librarian working within his or her library to advocate for a service and to market it among colleagues is one still quite foreign to the Slovak library community. The gap between what is seen as a librarian’s daily library work and participating in policy advocacy is significant in Slovakia. Admittedly, many librarians in the U.S. prefer such a gap exists. However, in Slovakia, when opportunities at this juncture in history must be addressed in a timely fashion, advocacy and marketing skills are ones Slovak librarians need to develop and practice widely and consistently.
The Nitra Valley Library Consortium has formally signed an agreement to cooperate and share resources in the building of an union catalog that will enhance their ability to serve all of their respective patrons better.
Objective 2:
Improving library networks for eventual integration of library systems to increase citizen access to multiple library collections, including public, university and other specialty libraries.The Nitra Valley Library Consortium can serve as a model program to be emulated throughout the country. Darina Krausova, like many other Slovak librarians, acknowledges the efficacy of such cooperation when she says, "A solo player can’t be successful today, and it is absolutely inevitable that we progress together." The cooperation modeled and demonstrated during study tours and implemented by SK-Libris helped make this philosophical idea a concrete fact among the participating libraries and librarians. The challenges here are many, including financial, for our Nitra colleagues. SK-Libris provided them a solid base from which to move forward, including specific workshops on cataloging and consortium issues essential to this project, as well as financial support for telecommunications charges for the Regional Library. Maintaining momentum and a positive attitude will be important for the success of this consortium. These librarians are doing groundbreaking work in Slovakia and that can be a lonely endeavor. They deserve the support of the state and library associations. We will continue to encourage and advise via email as they move forward with their union catalog.
Library advocacy was of chief importance throughout this project. SK-Libris worked directly with leaders of the Slovak library associations to advise them on philosophical and practical issues regarding library advocacy. The library associations effectively made a strong case for changing the library laws of Slovakia. Most notable is the change in which the National Library became an independent agency, which is considered as a major step toward more integrated library systems in Slovakia.
Objective 3: Increasing library services to library consumers. Increasing access to global full-text databases.
SK-Libris negotiated and funded the license agreement for the Bratislava Library Consortium to gain access to EBSCO full text databases via the WWW. This was a tremendous boost of resources for these libraries and their customers. It was subsequently expanded under the EIFL Direct Project. When SK-Libris first heard that Soros was considering this project we immediately phoned Michael Kay, OSI in Budapest, and we began working together with OSI to provide Slovakia access to full text databases on a nation-wide basis. It was through this relationship we were able to monitor’s OSI progress in securing database licenses. SK-Libris advised them that our research showed EBSCO to be the best product available via the WWW. When OSI subsequently selected EBSCO as their vendor the transition from SK-Libris funded EBSCO databases to OSI funded EBSCO databases was seamless for the Slovak library community. Slovakia was the first to receive formal training in the use of the databases because of their earlier use of the databases via SK-Libris. The SK-Libris database initiative allowed Slovakia to promptly incorporate the more widely accessible EIFL Direct Project across the library community.
Objective 4: Increasing access to professional library literature through translation of seminal documents from the American Library Association.
SK-Libris purchased several cataloging documents for the Nitra Consortium and other professional library books for the Faculty of Arts collection at Comenius University, which is the home of the school of library science and a member of the Bratislava Consortium. SK-Libris was not able to secure, even after several assurances to that we would, the copyright permission to translate AACR2 from English to Slovakia. The American Library Association and the British Library Association jointly hold this copyright, making it more difficult to obtain permissions; apparently our British colleagues were not agreeable to our request. Kollasch will continue to communicate with ALA about this issue to see if progress can be made.
Objective 5: Increasing practical use of new technologies that enhance library services and increase the flow of information to citizens.
There was considerable training in the effective use of WWW resources. Chris Neuhaus spent significant time introducing free and reliable databases to Slovak librarians. Neuhaus followed-up his direct consultations by creating a web page with links to these databases. Marcela Horvathova recalls Neuhaus’ work. "For example, we indicated that we would like to have free access to Internet databases and they SK-Libris sat down right away and searched and sent us information, gave us hints and advised us a lot and we are really ‘living’ on this help. For example they advised us about some databases that we then contacted. Also, of course, the cooperation with EBSCO started in fact here…"
The Neuhaus / Kollasch workshop "Reference Librarian: Ambassador for the Free Flow of Information" was effective on two levels. First, the workshop clearly communicated that proactive, service orientated reference librarians are essential for the free flow of information. Second, the interactive presentation style, which included role-playing and group work, served as a role model for presenting an engaging workshop. The role-playing of librarians with various levels of customer service seized their interest and generated a lot of discussion about how attitudes on library staff can impede or facilitate the free flow of information. This is an important aspect of library work anywhere, but in Slovakia, where a library’s physical plant often creates barriers to information, a thoughtful and empathetic librarian is essential in facilitating the free-flow of information. A core group of librarians should be trained in interactive workshop techniques and proactive customer service techniques for libraries and begin to provide workshops on their own.
Objective 6: Engaging the Culture Ministry in dialog regarding the move towards an integrated library system.Engaging the Culture and Education Ministries focused primarily on trying to garner their financial support for the EIFL Direct Project. The concept of an integrated library system, while acknowledged as needed, is not feasible now because of lack of funds. However, the SK-Libris efforts with the Nitra Valley Consortium provide an example that can be built upon at the national level. Because of the budget difficulties that plague most government bodies, SK-Libris was not able to move forward with a discussion regarding an integrated library system at the ministry level.
Objective 7: Establishing formal agreements of reciprocity among the Slovak partnership institutions participating in this project.This occurred with the Bratislava and Nitra Library Consortiums. The one in Bratislava is much less formal and relies on the trust and respect of the librarians working together. On the other hand, the agreement in Nitra is one in which they developed a formal document, with the help of an attorney, that now allows them to share funding for a common endeavor. In this case, a union catalog. This document is unique to Slovakia, which can have some rigid budgetary structures. The creation of this document not only serves well this consortium, but it also serves as a model document that can guide other libraries wanting to develop resource-sharing endeavors.
Objective 8: Increasing citizen awareness and access to the Slovak ParliamentaryLibrary.
SK-Libris met often with the parliamentary librarians to try to assist them in the establishment of a satellite center that will provide Slovaks greater access to government documents. They stated they had funding from PHARE (European Union) for this. However, despite the fact we were ready to assist with a U.S. library consultant to help design and implement the satellite center, no concrete efforts to move forward on this project were made by the Parliamentary Library.
See Appendix A for excerpts from interviews with Slovak librarians.
