Biblio.for.mEDA Project Leonardo Programme

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Biblio.for.mEDA Project(Leonardo Programme)

• Tolentino Case of Excellence
• Individual Case-studies

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1 - Quantitative Data

• N. of Users
• Data absent (closing of the library since 2000).
• Population served
• 19.637 inhabitants at 31st december 2003.
• Personnel of the library
• N. of 3 staff but at present n. 2 staff (n. 1
  chief, n. 1 technician).
• Other data
• The Tolentino Municipal library holdings amount
  to n. 33.000 volumes, with special sections
  (children, multimedial materials, serials, local
  history studies). There are some important
  special collections too, such as ca. 14.500 vol.
  from XVth to XIXth centuries with manuscript and
  printed music collections from XIX century.
• The surface area amounts to n. 1.000 mq on three
  levels, with easy access for the disabled and
  with two lifts. The total number of seats amounts
  to n. 80 in the reading rooms, and to n. 70 in
  the Congress hall.
• More than 20.000 items are in the totally
  automated catalogue so that users can consult it
  via Internet on the Macerata University node of
  network SBN-National Library Service and on the
  National Union Catalogue Indice
  (http//www.unimc.it/web_9900/Casb/index.htm and
  http//www.sbn.it/)

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2 Selection Criteria
Criteria on the base of which you choose this
library as a case of excellence (select one or
more criteria if you want, you can briefly
outline or simply mention which practices,
services, or activities etc.) Lifelong Learning
activities The project Reading Routes in the
Library (with the attached Laboratory of
Library User Education) is the product of
collaboration between the Library and the local
University of the Third Age. After signing a
convention, cultural classes of the University
are housed by the Congress-hall of the library so
that users of both institutions can profit by
using the facilities and activities of each
other. Renovation of Buildings and Tools Since
November 2004 the new Tolentino library is housed
in a restored building dating back to XVIIIth
cent. and located in a very central position. The
new library is organized according to functional
criteria with different areas reading rooms
(with open-shelved books according to CDD), a
cubicle-study, reference area for research
(card-catalogues, Opac and Internet) and for
distribution, loan and ILL, a special room for
ITC and languages literacy (with n. 12 pc), a
laboratory for audio-video materials, a room for
child activities, some spaces for social and
cultural activities (congress-hall, coffee-bar,
forecourt for summer activities). The large
surface and the new tools (especially electronic
ones) make it an ideal laboratory for new
educational and cultural activities intended for
special users (for now adults, aged and young
people in the future for users with special
needs such as disabled or blind or non-italian
speakers, etc.)
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3 Initiatives in the LLL field
Kind of initiatives and projects implemented by
the library in the LLL field (select one or more
kind if you want, you can briefly outline or
simply mention the title of the initiative that
will however be explained afterwards) Education
with other educational agencies The project
Reading Routes in the Library was created in
order to link the Municipal Library activities
with those of the University of the Third Age
and, in doing this, to bring potential adult
users to the library. In this project adult
learners are invited to approach a topic (e.g.
the literary production of a writer) from several
points of view (routes), and subsequently to use
the library as a resource for it. In the attached
Laboratory of Library User Education learners
are taught to improve their information skills
and to use the library tools in order to choose
and autonomously develop their personal route of
reading and learning. Moreover they are asked to
deepen and strengthen their individual learning
process begun in other EDA (education of adults)
courses or to develop other topics of individual
choice, also related to life-story issues or
personal interests, hobbies etc. The Tolentino
model has succesfully been exported to the
nearest town of Macerata. Infact a similar link
between the Municipal Library Mozzi-Borgetti,
the Bibliographic Services Centre of Macerata
University, the State Library of Macerata and the
University of the Third Age has been established
with the same methodology and aims.
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4.1 Description of the Initiative
Aims of the Initiative/Project We wish to promote
the use of the Public Library as a Lifelong
Learning resource and to develop a model of an
integrated educational system which connects the
library system of the territory (consisting of
public, but also state, university and private
libraries too) and other educational institutions
such as Universities of the Third Age. EDA
(education of adults) lectures especially given
by local Universities of the Third Age represent
an informal and non-formal educational occasion
for people to deepen and strengthen their
individual learning process thanks to the library
resources, both traditional on paper and new
electronic ones. Focusing attention on the
cultural and educational needs of potential users
such as adult and aged users involves directing
library services and orientating the acquisitions
policy to their special needs too. All this in
order to build a future educational system common
to Public Libraries and other educational
agencies with the aim of helping the EDA public
which is one of the most at risk groups due to
the digital and informational divide.
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4.2 Description of the Initiative
Tools for achieving the aims (e.g. methods,
phases of the project, equipment, library
facilities, etc.) Two laboratories of 6 lessons
(1h/1.30h each), each consisting of an
introduction and guidance to library use an
in-depth analysis and bibliographic search
concerning specific topics related to the
Reading Routes course (Laboratory A), or topics
related to other EDA lectures (Laboratory B) or
other topics of individual learner
choice. Didactic Tools a Questionnaire (to
discover individual learner characteristics as
library users/non users) an Entry- and
Final-test for the assessment of learning skills
a Logbook (where learners are invited to describe
their learning experience and asked to reflect on
it) a Learning Portfolio (a selective collection
of learner works to document progress and
achievements) training materials. Library Tools
Card catalogues and Opac connected to the
University node of network SBN-National Library
Service and to the National Union Catalogue
Indice (http//www.iccu.sbn.it/ pounmace.html
http//www.iccu.sbn.it/sbn.htm
http//opac.sbn.it/) for bibliographic search
reference rooms and open-shelf rooms for search
and reference pc and electronic resources for
the development of information literacy and ITC
skills.
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4.3 Description of the Initiative
Target Groups Adult learner amongst the ca. n.
350 enrolled in the University of the Third Age
of Tolentino and the ca. n. 400 enrolled in the
University of the Third Age of Macerata the
population of the municipal territory of
Tolentino (n. 19.637) and Macerata (n. 41.101)
non users and beginner users of Municipal Library
of Tolentino and Municipal Library and State
Library of Macerata. These are the three sets
from wich a subset of potential students will be
formed. Venue/venues of the Initiative Tolentino
the Municipal Library of Tolentino a
congress-hall with pc and overhead projector
reference room with card catalogues and n. 2 pc
(for public use), in addition to open-shelf
reading rooms with n. 1 pc (for public use) and
n. 2 pc (for internal use) for bibliographic
search in Opac. Tours in other Tolentino
libraries (e.g. the private Egidiana Library and
Benadduci Library) will be made in order to
explain to learners the different models of
library organization. Macerata The Congress-hall
of the University of the Third Age in Macerata.
Tours and training sessions will be held in the
Municipal Library of Macerata (reading room
reference room with card catalogues), in the
State Library of Macerata (reference room with
card catalogues and n. 4 pc for bibliographic
search in Opac and Internet open-shelf room
congress-hall), in the bibliographic search room
of the Macerata University Centre for
Bibliographic Services (CASB n. 12 pc for
bibliographic search in Opac and Internet).
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4.4 Description of the Initiative
Possible Partners (collaborating with the library
for implementing the initiative, e.g. schools,
museums, archives, etc.) Local Universities for
Adult education University of the Third Age
(Unitre) of Tolentino University of the Third
Age of Macerata Libraries collaborating with the
Municipal Library for complementing missing
resources or other resources Tolentino Egidiana
Library and Benadduci Library (both private
libraries) Macerata State Library of Macerata
and CASB, University Center for Bibliographic
Services Scientific and pedagogic advice for
both projects University of Cosenza, Department
of Education University of Macerata, Faculty of
Education Library Science Department
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4.5 Description of the Initiative
Conclusive Remarks (e.g. outcomes/expected
outcomes, possible set-backs or difficulties,
benefits and positive points) The first product
is a report on EDA learners characteristics (as
library users or potential users) and their
attitude towards the library. In the case of
Tolentino, this will allow the comparison of
these results with the results of a previous
survey (from the year 2000), as well as allowing
us to assess the impact of Librarys actions
(promotional campaign inauguration of the new
library collaboration with University of the
Third Age). The reflection about individual- and
group-work made by the same learners with
autobiographical tools and other materials
produced during the labs will be the global
feedback as to didactic strategies implemented.
In addition to this, the search made about topics
selected by learners will improve their
self-government of the search and strengthen
their knowledge acquired during other EDA
courses. Finally, elements underlined by the
educational and informational needs analysis
could help plan a new integrated action by the
system Library/University, i.e. 1. to assess
the actions implemented by the University of the
Third Age and, if necessary, to reorganize the
educational offer of the territory 2. to
assess the efficacy of the Librarys holdings and
services and, if necessary, to reorganize the
acquisition policy considering the new needs
highlighted.