Taking some big steps towards the digital library — lessons learned from the reengineering process at the Technical Knowledge Center & Library of Denmark
| Published date | 01 January 1998 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/eb040674 |
| Date | 01 January 1998 |
| Pages | 16-22 |
| Author | Lars Lars Bjørnshauge |
| Subject Matter | Information & knowledge management |
Taking some big steps
towards the digital
library - lessons
learned from the
reengineering process
at the Technical
Knowledge Center &
Library of Denmark
by Lars Lars Bjørnshauge, Director,
Technical Knowledge Center & Library
of Denmark
In this article recent developments in the
management of electronic journals at the
Technical Knowledge Center
&
Library of
Denmark (DTV) are
outlined.
Special
emphasis is put on the reengineering of library
services to take advantage of changes in
electronic
publishing,
and on the development
in house of
a
common user interface to
electronic journals and
databases.
The human
resource development activities including a
domestic PC programme and distance
learning as a primary means of educating staff
are
highlighted.
In the course of
one
year the service has
succeeded in breaking the vicious circle of
zero growth
funding,
rapid price increases of
scientific journals and
cancellations.
Now
much more information content is provided
and delivered directly to the users desktops
24 hours a day 7 days a
week.
Introduction
It is a well-known and well-documented fact that
the traditional mode of operation of academic
libraries is in deep crisis'. Primary reasons here are
a combination of zero growth in funding, rapidly
escalating prices of information resources (espe-
cially scientific
journals),
the need for investment
in technology, human resource development and
increasing customer expectations.
Being the library at the Technical University of
Denmark as well as the national centre for techni-
cal scientific information in Denmark, DTV like
many other academic libraries has experienced
Technical University of Denmark
Technical University of Denmark is the
largest research and educational
institution in civil engineering in Northern
Europe. As of 1997
6,000
students and
1000 faculty. Research and education
primarily in the technical sciences -
http://www.adm.dtu.dk/velkomst/noegle/
nogl97_e.htm
DTV - brief description
DTV is the university library at the
Technical University of Denmark as well
as the national centre for scientific
technical information, thus serving
Danish Industry - http://www.dtv.dk/
index_e.htm.
DTV provides web services for external
customers, distance learning,
participates in several EU- and Nordic
funded IT-development projects.
Key figures 1998:
University
funding:
£ 4,000,000
Income £ 500.000
Expenditure:
Salaries £
2,000,000
Information resources £
1,600,000
IT - hardware/software £ 400,000
Misc. £ 400,000
Staff 80 FTE
Journal subscriptions 1998:
Print only
2,000
Electronic only
2,000
Bundled 1,000
16
— VINE 110
To continue reading
Request your trial