Development and construction of China

Libraries in China's higher education institutions have been developing in keeping pace with the flourishing development of China's higher education. This article aims to make an introduction to the construction of China's higher education libraries, especially the recent three decades' achievements since China's reform and opening-up in 1978. In this article, the authors draw a general picture of the development of libraries in China's higher education institutions, covering such eight aspects as management, types and positioning, organizational structure and personnel, expenditure and buildings, reader service, building and sharing of resources as well as automation system.</p

Developing the library network in postcommunist Russia: Trends, issues, and perspectives

This paper discusses trends in library network development in Russia over the past twenty-five years. The major trends in libraries of various types and levels, from national to local public libraries, are analyzed. Statistical figures reflecting decreasing numbers of libraries in Russia from 1991 to the present are presented and analyzed. A special section is dedicated to the B. N. Yeltsin Presidential Library in St. Petersburg, the electronic national library of Russia. The public library development strategy in St. Petersburg is highlighted, along with the reform of the network of public libraries in Moscow. The two most recently renovated libraries in Moscow, the F. M. Dostoevsky Library and the Prospekt Library and Information Center, are featured. The major directions for Russian libraries desiring to go “green” are presented, along with the conditions they are to meet.published or submitted for publicatio

Supporting Research in Area Studies: a guide for academic libraries

The study of other countries or regions of the world often crosses traditional disciplinary boundaries in the humanities and social sciences. Supporting Research in Area Studies is a comprehensive guide for academic libraries supporting these communities of researchers. This book explores the specialist requirements of these researchers in information resources, resource discovery tools, and information skills, and the challenges of working with materials in multiple languages. It makes the case that by adapting their systems and procedures to meet these needs, academic libraries find themselves better placed to support their institution's�� international agenda more widely. The first four chapters cover the academic landscape and its history, area studies librarianship and acquisitions. Subsequent chapters discuss collections management, digital products, and the digital humanities, and their role in academic projects. The final chapter explores information skills and the various disciplinary skills that facilitate the needs of researchers during their careers

Library development in Armenia: problems and progress since the dissolution of the USSR.

The paper provides a situation report on the state of libraries and information services, publishing and bookselling in Armenia. It briefly describes their development, outlines the international development assistance that they have received during the last twenty years, describes their current situation, and indicates some of their future needs

Formation and Development of Cultural Competence by Increasing Access to Material Forms of Historical and Art-History Heritage

The formation of the practical competence of the cultural cycle is determined, first of all, by the formation of access to the fund of material and non-material forms of art, which makes it possible to expand the possibilities of an individual to increase his cultural level. The relevance of the study is determined primarily by the fact that each individual must not only carry out his practical activities but also form an understanding of the meaning of cultural studies in his mind. In this regard, and in the context of overcoming crisis phenomena in the economy, turning to non-material forms becomes a priority task for bearers. The novelty of the research is determined by the possibilities of increasing access to cultural products, while the importance of access is determined not only by high culture. The authors show that the ability to access forms of mass culture also matters. It is shown that one of the possibilities of access to popular culture is to increase the level of distribution of library access. Using the example of countries that declare their commitment to raising the cultural level of the population, the necessity for the development of digital educational resources is shown. The practical significance of the study is determined by the possibilities of widely involving the population in the processes of digitalisation of information carriers about art and, on the basis of this, about the formation of general cultural competence in society as a whole

Information and Communication Technologies as means for self-improvement at remote universities: the example of Urgench State University, Uzbekistan

This paper describes the research conducted at the Information Resource Center of Urgench State University, located in the Khorezm region of Uzbekistan, on the possibilities and challenges the students and lecturers face in their pursuit for self-improvement and self-education. The article discloses new qualitative approaches and IT methods in the teaching and educational processes in higher education of Central Asian countries in transition, the overall aim of which is to close the gap and shape the spiritual values of the young generation in the globalizing world. The framework conditions for this have been set by the Government of Uzbekistan through particular Decrees, aiming at the creation of e-education at universities and institutions throughout the country and specifically in the remote regions as to improve the access to regularly updated information, to motivate the use of IT in classes as well as to enhance the responsibility of the information services of universities for assuring the quality of research and teaching (pedagogical) activities of the lecturers. The research showed that the Internet can function inter alia as a controlling device when education is delivered through the web. Collection, analysis and preparation of educational-methodological materials on specific subjects and extracurricular activities require specific knowledge on IT and information literacy both in the teaching staff and the students

International conference "Information technologies in education in the 21st century": Conference proceedings.

Proceedings of a conference which concluded TEMPUS project JEP 25008_200