The chapter is based on experience of authors who work at different positions at University Library “Svetozar Markovic” in Belgrade, Serbia. This library has been aiming at creation of efficient, creative work environment in the last decade and one of the main pay-offs has been the development of a unique set of digital tools for handling METS/ALTO files. The chapter will present both managerial background and ICT related details that encompass this complex process. It will also aim at providing examples of good practice in implementation of Enterprise 2.0 and fostering of intrapreneurship that may be employed in other library environments with notes on specifics of the University Library Belgrade and its relations to more general managerial issues and challenges that may be useful for other librarians.
TopThe University Library Belgrade
The University Library “Svetozar Markovic”, the main library of the University of Belgrade, is the largest, oldest and, as of 2016, the most influential higher education library in the Republic of Serbia. It coordinates the network of academic libraries in Serbia. It employs 92 librarians and support staff members while additional 146 librarians are employed at 31 faculty libraries of University of Belgrade. This workforce meets information needs of 90,000 students and 7,000 researchers, professors, and associates at the University of Belgrade. The Library collection is comprised of1.5 million printed documents and gives access to 30,000 electronic journals and 40,000 electronic books. The Library also promotes the usage of open access data. Interlibrary loan and collaboration with libraries worldwide; providing access to almost any digital document and to the majority of the printed ones.
The University Library operates a library system called Cobiss that automates acquisition, cataloguing, and circulation operations. An Online Public Access Catalogue (OPAC) caters to users in the framework of the system and is equipped with a federated search of library consortia for Serbia and in the region. A Local Area Network (LAN) in the main library building is connected with the Academic Network of Serbia and provides high speed Internet connection grounding Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) for the implementation of other technologies. Users have access to Wi-Fi throughout the main library building. Library 2.0 services are well-developed, with more than 14,000 users networked through social networks such as Facebook and Twitter. As of 2016, a new library website is in use. It offers personalized access to data for three major user groups: students, researchers, and librarians. The University Library hosts Phaidra, the long-term preservation digital repository for the University of Belgrade, which also serves as an open access repository of doctoral dissertations.
In addition, the University Library hosts numerous cultural and scientific events in its art center, one of the most well-regarded venues for exhibiting modern art in Serbia. Exhibitions of printed collections and virtual exhibitions are held regularly. Specialists from all scientific areas give lectures in the Knowledge Center of the Library and a number of virtual lectures are organized using teleconferencing equipment.