For this year’s Library and Information Week, we sat down and chatted to Blanca Pizzani, Head Librarian, who has been at UNE for nearly 7 years. This year’s theme is ‘Adventures in Space and Time’, so we asked about how UNE's Dixson Library makes connections with and between people, no matter where they are.
What is the most unusual place you’ve sent a resource, or the most unusual location of a student who has contacted the library?
The library sends books and resources all over the world, including China, Africa, the United States and, of course, Australia. However, most of the students access online resources as we are a digital library. Students and researchers access resources from all over the world at any time.
Libraries have obviously changed in the types of technologies and resources used – can you tell us about other types of change you’ve seen through time?
The library has transformed from being purely physical to leveraging technologies, improving connectivity and community in different modes. We are a place where community members, academics, students, and librarians collaborate and share knowledge.
Libraries used to be a quiet place with many rules. Now we are more flexible in considering user needs and experiences in how we design our services and spaces.
How and why is the physical space of the library still important in the digital age?
Despite the move away from print books and journals towards electronic resources, the library still fulfils its role as the heart of the university. The library provides a safe space for people – we’re inclusive of everyone. The library plays a key role as a hub for people to come together to engage, to learn, collaborate, and to connect with one another. Often, they don’t come here to look for books.
What was it like having to close the library to most people at the height of COVID restrictions?
Library staff responded very well to the closure due to COVID. Our online services were already well-established. Since 2016, librarians were already using Zoom to connect with students. Online information literacy and research support have been conducted in this manner for quite a few years. Staff were ready to work from home. For many years library staff were equipped with laptop computers to work flexibly, and our online chat service continued like normal. A small number of staff remained on campus to send books and digital copies of resources to students and staff. We made sure we had correct quarantine practices in place for the return of resources.
What do you want people to know about the library?
The library is a place where we will connect students and staff with the right information; it offers more than a Google search where information is unsorted and can be unreliable or untrustworthy. The library takes student experience seriously. We’re currently working with faculties to look at the sustainable use of textbooks and open educational resources to provide equitable access to education for all our students.
How does the library balance the needs of the past and the future?
We are proud of our library’s history. We’ve had many wonderful donations over the years. People have felt a commitment to look after the history and very valuable resources and donated to our collections. Libraries have changed, and we’re constantly adapting to new technologies and advances in scholarly communication. We are data-driven and evidence-based when it comes to decision-making.
