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A view of UK libraries from the perspective of a scholar from Slovakia
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Who am I?
A Slovak (who by now has turned into quite a Geordie)
A (bio)chemical engineer STU Bratislava
A senior lecturer in Chemical Engineering
So how did I get here?
The journey
Studied chemical engineering with specialisation in fermentation chemistry and bioengineering (1985-90)
Did a 3 month IAESTE placement in the Dept. of Microbiology, Newcastle University – offered a PhD opportunity
PhD in the Dept. Chemical & Process Eng.
Research associate working with ICI Pharmaceuticals, GSK
Lectureship, senior lectureship, DPD, Director of Teaching
STU background
Founded in 1937, around 19.000 students annually 7 Faculties http://www.stuba.sk/new/generate_page.php?page_id=2989
STU
•
CHEMICAL AND FOOD TECHNOLOGY
CIVIL ENGINEERING
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING
ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
ARCHITECTURE
MATERIAL SCIENCES AND TECHNOLOGY IN TRNAVA
INFORMATICS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES
Educational experience
5-year Ug degree
Two semesters, a number of modules
Formal lectures delivered by Profs to large cohorts (150-300) in 2 hr slots
Tutorials/labs in small groups (~20), supervised by TAs
Written test pass required to be allowed to take an oral examination by the Prof
Set of exam questions based on the course as covered by ‘skriptá’
Library provision - then
Late 80s, socialist system
Library mainly used to sell ‘skriptá’ and provide additional reserved copies for reading (similar to student text collection)
Quiet area for study
A small selection of scientific journals
However, as a highly research active student I frequently had to use the libraries of research institutes
Photocopying an issue (had to carry heavy journal volumes to commercial photocopying service providers)
Librarians only acted as ‘sales assistants’, ‘volume locators for restricted volumes’, ‘silence-police’
Culture shock
Studied English since 14, passionate about it
1-year compulsory technical English Ug course, also national prizes for research work presentations in English over 2 years
Arriving at Heathrow for IEASTE made me want to turn straight back
Accents difficult to follow (both for daily and technical English)
2 months of constant headache, but persevered, attended microbiology lectures, always wrote my lab notes in English, explored Walton library (self-learner)
By 3rd month ‘dreaming in English’ and wrote a full final report
Returned home and managed to excel in a subject specialist final year exam that Prof decided to run in English (lectured in Slovak)
Returned to UK, spent every day in Walton library searching for info on funding as well as research articles
My view of Ncl library facilities then
Very impressed, although reluctant to ask librarians for help/advice and had no formal induction
Observed others, asked students in the lab or lecture
Personal preferences (independent learner, probably wouldn’t have participated in ‘group-targeted’ activities and would have tried to work my way through material – plain English useful) – supporting both types worthwhile
No idea about plagiarism
Appreciated the availability of New Scientist, etc. for funding/job prospects
However – I was not a full fee paying international student studying for a degree
CHPT Library now
World changes …
The top research faculty within Slovak HE and one of the top libraries in Slovakia
Wider access to research information – electronic access to databases (donations by German and US Chemical societies)
National and international inter-library loans possible
‘skriptá’ not sold, but enough copies kept in the library for the number of candidates on the course
Consultations with librarians
Photocopying no longer an issue
Students change too…
English/German replaced Russian as a second language, learned from primary school
Students travel more (summer placements, tourism, etc)
Educational system adapting more to Western system – Bachelor degrees introduced, ECTS system, examinations becoming more written
Motivation and attitude to learning is also changing with societal changes