Modern University Library: Expanding Spheres of Influence

Abstract

University libraries are social structures that experience information-revolutionary changes. This is due to their simultaneous involvement in two spheres of spiritual production – librarianship and education. The article examines the role of the university library in the educational process and the expansion of its spheres of influence at the present stage. Changing conditions of the educational environment, informatization of society, increasing importance of the information factor, revealed the need to modernize library processes, introduce innovative technologies in library and information activities. The developing information space is pushing libraries to new roles: from storing knowledge and supporting the modern educational process to the latest forms of learning and the introduction of new educational technologies – distance learning methods and multimedia tools. The potential of a modern library is assessed not only by the volume and completeness of its book collection, but also by its relevance and the library's ability to provide the latest information in the shortest possible time for all its users. Traditional forms of service to users of university libraries are being transformed and actively transferred to the Internet. The article presents the experience of the Scientific Library of the Moldovan Academy of Economic Studies as an integral part of the unified information and educational space of the university, and examines the process of servicing users of the university library in a new format. The key and characteristic tasks that the library is guided by are highlighted, taking into account modern requirements for information support of the educational process of the university. As an information centre, the Scientific Library strives to meet the needs of scientists for information as much as possible, improving and using new opportunities for information support of research activities. The article represents the author's understanding of the ongoing transformation of the activities of university libraries. The article outlines the tasks and problems facing the library, and concludes that the university library has been and remains the main information centre in the system of higher professional education. UDC: 027.7:021.4-048.35(478); JEL: D83, I23, L86.