Informacijos paslaugų ir ugdymo grupė / Information Services and Training Group

Traditional teaching takes place in classrooms and lecture halls. Under the impact of digital technology, both teaching and independent study are changing. In this paper we focus on the role of academic library lies in the transition to e-learning, emphasizing the changes in library user behavior. Our approach is empirical and quantitative. At the Mykolas Romeris University in Vilnius we have started to investigate how students study, by collecting systematic observations on what students actually do while they are using our library facilities. We chose a method called Count The Traffic (TTT), which has be tested out and widely used in Norwegian libraries since 2006. TTT is based on regular tours of observation through the library at regular intervals throughout the day during one full week (or more). It uses a fixed set of categories that cover activities that are easy to observe without intruding, for instance whether a student is working with a book or a computer and whether she works in a group or alone. The method, which was developed by one of the authors, provides representative statistical data on a few major categories of behavior. The paper reports on the results of our first TTT survey in April 2+13, based on 6.500 observations, and interprets them in light of the qualitative changes we observe as well as the library’s strategic development plans. We expect that similar changes are occurring elsewhere and take a brief look at patterns of behavior observed in other academic libraries that have used the same instrument to study user behavior.

Purpose is to present the role and services of Mykolas Romeris University subject librarians in the processes of science and studies via aspect of social technologies. Scientists don‘t usually have enough time to take a look to a wideness of social technologies and students in many cases don’t know about them. Above-mentioned services and social technologies are the instrumentalities for faster scientific information retrieval and increased researcher’s visibility in the academic world. Design/methodology/approach – review of scientific literature, comparative analysis of social technologies and statistical data analysis of subject librarian’s services. Findings – identified social networks mostly matching social sciences and humanities. Research limitations/implications – practical implementation of this research can be applied in Mykolas Romeris University and other universities of social sciences and humanities. Practical implications – by observing and knowing innovations in social technologies subject librarians can widely spread this knowledge in their activities. Originality/Value – article represents services of Mykolas Romeris University subject librarians.