REPORT FROM ERASMUS LIBRARY STAFF MOBILITY WEEK DUBLIN 2017-06-26-2017-06-30 - Written by Maria Svenningsson, Linköping University Library, Sweden

REPORT FROM ERASMUS LIBRARY STAFF
                         MOBILITY WEEK DUBLIN

                                  2017-06-26-2017-06-30

Erasmus delegates in Dublin City University Library, 170630

Written by Maria Svenningsson, Linköping University Library, Sweden

ABOUT THE ERASMUS LIBRARY STAFF MOBILITY WEEK IN DUBLIN

We were 17 library staff from 10 different European countries, only me from Sweden,
Lithuania, Finland, Spain, Italy, United Kingdom, Poland, Czech Republic, Austria and
Germany. Many of us had different expertise and background. Working places were
academic libraries in subjects such as technical, health sciences and law. The size of libraries
varied from one to a hundred of employees.

During our week, we visited libraries in the Dublin area but also Maynooth, an hour by train
from Dublin. We visited:

Dublin Institute of Technology (DIT)                   Library: http://www.dit.ie/library/
                                                       http://www.dit.ie/

Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI)            Library: http://www.rcsi.ie/library

                                                       http://www.rcsi.ie/

National Library of Ireland (NLI)                      http://www.nli.ie/

University College Dublin (UCD)                        Library: http://www.ucd.ie/library/

                                                       http://www.ucd.ie/

University of Dublin, Trinity College (TCD)            Library: http://www.tcd.ie/library/

                                                       http://www.tcd.ie/

Maynooth University                       Library: https://www.maynoothuniversity.ie/library

                                          https://www.maynoothuniversity.ie/

Dublin City University                    Library: http://www4.dcu.ie/library/index.shtml

                                          https://www.dcu.ie/

When visiting the libraries, we got to listen to presentations by library staff in the organizing
institutions but also presentations from participants in six different themes:

   ❖ Information and digital literacies
   ❖ Space & storage in libraries
   ❖ Cultural heritage including unique & distinct collections and archives
   ❖ Enabling Research
   ❖ Customer Service/User Experience (UX)
   ❖ Libraries & Change

We also got to see the libraries (guided tours), working places and talk to many of the
employees.

The presentations by the staff were about organization changes, future libraries and other
engaging subjects. Below I will give you some insights from the visited places and finally
some experiences from the Erasmus Programme and why I believe it is a fantastic
opportunity to participate in.

DAY 1 - Dublin Institute of Technology (DIT), Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI)
and National Library of Ireland (NLI)

The organizing team did a very good job helping us to find our way everywhere!

This exclusive program was organized for the first time in Ireland, by libraries in cooperation
with CONUL (Consortium of National & University Libraries) and ANLTC (Academic and
National Library Training Co-operative).

The first day we went to Dublin Institute of Technology. We were welcomed by Dr Philip
Cohen, Head of Library Services, who is also engaged with CONUL in Ireland. The Mission
Statement of the library is:

“We aim to support the learning, teaching, research and engagement activity of the Institute
by providing the resources, facilities and services in a form, place and time that is most
appropriate to the diverse and evolving needs of our users.” The library is facing a lot of
changes in the future, a new library which will be ready 2020. There are not only one
campus or library at DIT:

Dublin Institute of Technology

At libraries in Ireland and United Kingdom it is common to offer special rooms for post
graduate students.

Dublin Institute of Technology, Aungier Street Library

Next stop was the beautiful National Library of Ireland (NLI). We got a presentation from
Sandra Collins, the Director of the National Library of Ireland. We were presented the
strategy 2016-2021 which include: COLLECT; PROTECT; CONNECT; INNOVATE;
COLLABORATE.

The Library is doing a lot of outreach and activities for the public and they are active on
social media:

Brochure by National Library of Ireland

For the moment, they had an exhibition about William Butler Yeats: The Life & Works of
William Yeats which we got to see with a professional guide.

National Library of Ireland – Erasmus delegates

The second last stop for the day was Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI), which has a
totally new library, not open to the students until July 3. The guided tour in the new library
spaces was interesting. They had been inspired by Karolinska University Library and had a lot
of opportunities for students to find a peaceful place to study. I loved the light and spacious
building but they also bought some furniture they had to return. They tried some kind of
FatBoy (beanbag) but when trying to sit down it was like a slide instead of a seat. By the
computers there were signs with the phone number to the IT Helpdesk and the AV Helpdesk.

Hut inspired by Karolinska at RCSI

A lot of computers at new library – RCSI   Information Point at RCSI (they are going to change the i-sign)

Many different places to study... at RCSI

The new library has many group study rooms where presentations can be held, for real or
for practice. They had whiteboards in the study rooms. The Royal College of Surgeons in
Ireland has their own fitness are with place for playing tennis, a gym and a separate Female
Gym & Fitness Studio.

Open offices at RCSI

The Erasmus group again - at RCSI

We were finishing the day with snacks and drinks at the National Library of Ireland.

DAY 2 - University College Dublin (UCD)
On Tuesday morning, we were invited to University College Dublin and James Joyce Library.
UCD is the largest university in Dublin and it´s 160 years old. James Joyce was one of the
graduates.

Today we listened to “Library change experience – Challenges and Success” by the Head of
Client Services Peter Hickey and “E-learning and Supporting the globalized University” by
James Molloy and “The impact of Information Literary, how to demonstrate evidence” by
Marta Bustillo. In the afternoon, we also listened to Ursula Byrne; “The Past, the Present, the
Plans”.

We also started with Theme 1; Information & Digital Literacies and in the afternoon Theme
2; Space and Storage. Eight participants lectured this day.

University College Dublin has worked a lot with eLearning. They´ve made 16 instructional
videos, 15 interactive tutorials, 79 LibGuides and 27 guides/presentations. These guides are
not only for the student, also for people outside the community. UCD has a campus in
Beijing where the online support could help. In February 2017 people from UCD Library went
to Beijing to meet students and find out how the resources were working overseas.

Marta Bustillo continued talking about The Impact of Information Literacy - How to
Demonstrate Evidence. At UCD they are using three main tools for measuring impact. They
had a Feedback tool, Information Skills Training Record (in Google Form) and UniShare. Every
action was written down in the system, queries received by the Library on various topics.

From the presentation by Marta Bustillo

Marta talked about the Butterfly Effect and they just started to join a new course with 150
students. The information skills were embedded in the module syllabus in the VLE (Virtual
Learning Environment) which was used. We also got to hear a great presentation by Ursula
Byrne, head of Development and Strategic Initiatives, “The Past, the Present, the Plans”.
Ursula showed how developments have been done over time, step by step and little by little.

DAY 3 - University of Dublin, Trinity College (TCD)
Now Trinity College, the most prestigious university in Ireland, founded 1592. There are 6
libraries at Trinity but the Berkeley Library is the most important new building in Ireland. It
was designed by the Austrian-born British architect Paul Koralek and is now celebrating 50
years #berkeley50. Read more about the concrete, brutal building:
https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/art-and-design/berkeley-library-a-hand-crafted-rarity-
of-modern-architecture-1.2987882.

Berkeley Library, Trinity College

Berkeley Library, Trinity College, 50 years

We visited the Old Library with wonderful Long Room and The Book of Kells which has
900 000 visitors every year.

Many visitors at the Long Room, Trinity College

The theme this Wednesday was Culture Heritage and Unique & Distinct Collections and
Enabling Research. Regina W. Richardson, new at TCD presented “Orcids and Orangeries:
Gaspar Fagel and the new exotics from the Dutch colonies in 17th century Europe”.

Arlene Healy gave us a presentation about the IReL, a national consortium with databases, e-
book collections single titles etc. which has been in work since 2000s. Value for money is
important in Ireland as elsewhere.

TCD and the IReL

Greg Sheaf, subject librarian, then showed us, very enthusiastically, the Berkeley, Lecky and Ussher
Libraries with a lot of concrete...

Concrete desk at Berkeley Library, Trinity College

In the evening, we went to a social event organized by the committee, which was dinner in the 1592
Restaurant at Trinity College Dublin. That was an excellent evening!

                                 Dinner at 1592 Restaurant at Trinity College

DAY 4 - Maynooth University

Maynooth University

This day we had to travel an hour by train or bus to the west of Dublin, to Maynooth
University (MU). The university was founded in 1997 and it´s Ireland´s youngest university.
The theme today was Customer service/User Experience. We listened to Lorna Dodd who
talked about how they use UX methods at the library with “Understanding our Users”. They
have tried Happy or Not-buttons, Diaries, Focus Groups and Touchstone Tours. MU is using
LibQUAL which many libraries in UK are using. Lorna said that: “Students don´t think they are
using the library but they are in different ways!”

UX at MU Library

The John Paul II library, which was new (2012) was both green, light and had a lot of
different study places. MU Library also arrange many LIST lectures (Library & Information
Skills Tutorials). It is 30 minutes lectures often led by the library. When showing us the
working places they told us about the changes the library has gone through. They organized
an art workshop with the staff where they could paint their feeling on a wall. A nice
initiative!

Exhibition and café close to the entrance, Paul II Library, MU   Information desk at Paul II Library, MU

Group Study Room at Paul II Library, MU

Sleeping Pods at the John Paul II Library, MU

Sleeping pods at Maynooth University Library were rather new in the library. Students asked for
somewhere to take a quick nap between studies.

Open Offices at Paul II Library, MU

A lot of changes at MU Library - Art workshop with colleagues

In Maynooth, we visited the old Russell Library, with collections from St Patrick´s College and
the College Chapel.

I also met Helen Fallon in Maynooth. Helen is an editor of a journal where me and my former
colleague Sassa Person published an article. Helen Fallon did Erasmus in Sweden in June
2017 where she visited Linköping University. Finally, before going back to Dublin, Helen
organized a special tour of the castle in Maynooth which everybody appreciated.

                   Maria Svenningsson and Helen Fallon in the chapel, Maynooth University

DAY 5 - Dublin City University
The last day of Erasmus Library Staff Mobility! The theme was Change and Future Skills
which was a theme that everybody was used to because all libraries has changed and are
changing a lot all the time. Orla Nic Aodha at Public Services and Outreach talked about the
library at Glasnevin Campus. DCU is the fastest growing university in Ireland. There was a
huge amount of change last years, some universities came together and four libraries
merges together (and the websites of course). New structures at the library, se below.

                                         New structures at DCU

Ellen Breen from the Research & Teaching Team described the focus on building and
managing relationships/partnerships and the need of strategic, focused and proactive
engagement, both formal and informal. We must promote the work we do, increase our
visibility and work as efficiently & effectively as possible.

Research & Teaching Team at DCU

In January 2017, they did a faculty survey with the goal to identify priorities for faculties.
There was a three part online questionnaire with 7 questions. They had 182 respondents.
The outcomes were that they are staring with LibGuides, having online support for graduate
students and researchers, creating more sessions, flipped classroom….

Research priorities at DCU Library

Just before lunch we got our diplomas and people said goodbye and were heading to the
airport

ABOUT MY EXPERIENCE WITH ERASMUS STAFF MOBILITY PROGRAMME
It was a wonderful experience and it will enrich my work at Linköping University Library.
Meeting so many European library staff and talking about similarities and differences in
libraries was a fantastic opportunity. We talked a lot about changes in libraries and how we
conduct our daily work. We met directors, librarians, library assistants and different kind of
employees. I really enjoyed the program. We got time for a lot of discussions but the time
went too fast. It was very easy to get to know each other. We are still in touch with What´s
App and now we´re talking about a potential cooperation project. I have already got some
insights in my new friends working places in many countries.

Special thanks to the organizing committee (ANLTC, CONUL and all the libraries) which
helped us a lot and gave us a fantastic week! Everything was well-organized and the
participating people and staff were nice and helpful. Also thanks to International Office and
Lotta Kåvemark at Linköping University.

I recommend my colleagues to look at the opportunities for staff mobility in this database:
http://staffmobility.eu/staff-week-search

If you would like to know more please take a look at #ERASMUSDub17 at Twitter.

DublinERASMUS-Fu
 llProgramme.pdf