Innovations in Saudi university libraries -- An insider's view

1. Professor Khalid Mahmood
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2. Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
 Founded: 1932 by Abdulaziz bin Abd al-Rahman Al
Saud
 Area: 2 million km2
 Population: 21 million Saudi citizens and 5 million
foreigners
 Economy: World’s largest oil exporter; 19th highest
GDP in the world
 System of government: Absolute monarchy; no
political parties or elections
 Constitution: Quran and Sunnah
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3. Higher education and libraries
 25 public universities, 7 private universities
 Education is free at all levels
 Large number of scholarships for students
 Segregated for men and women
 American system of education (BS 4-year, MS, PhD)
 Semester system (Fall and Spring with summer vacations)
 Large number of foreign faculty
 Centralized library system (central and branch libraries)
 Deanship of library affairs
 Saudi dean, vice dean and director
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4. This presentation is based
on my experience in and
visit to libraries in nine
Saudi universities
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14. Revolutionary changes in university libraries
 Enormous use of emerging technologies
 Shift from individual learning to
collaborative learning
 Shift from traditional to online service
model
 Going beyond library walls
 Librarian’s role as teacher
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15. Enormous use of
emerging technologies
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16. Integrated library system –
Symphony/Millennium/Horizon
• Used in the most of university
libraries
• Prepared by American companies
• Maintained in Saudi Arabia by
Naseej Arabian Advanced Systems
• Modules: Cataloging, OPAC,
circulation, acquisition, ILL and
serials management
• Multilingual
• International standards (Z39.50,
MARC)
• RFID integration
• SMS and e-mail notifications
• Special feature of My Account
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17. Radio-frequency identification – RFID
 3M company
 Tags in books
 Used for circulation
 Security gates
 User counts
 Shelf management
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18. Digital library assistant – DLA
3M company
Shelf management
Stock verification
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19. Self check-out machine
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20. Intelligent return and sorter system
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21. Internet labs
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22. Imaging service
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23. Smart board
 Interactive
whiteboard
 DViT (Digital Vision
Touch) technology
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24. Kiosk for interactive map
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25. Video wall for information
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26. Large screen for announcement
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27. Small
elevator
for books
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28. Technology for
book preservation
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29. Shift from individual
learning to collaborative
learning
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30.  Cabins for
individual study
 Group study
rooms
 Seminar rooms
 Video conference
rooms
 Exhibition area
 Cafeteria
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31. Shift from traditional to
online service model
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32. Library website
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33. E-resources portal
 One-stop-shop for subscribed e-resources
 Subject-wise and alphabetic list of databases and journals
 Hierarchical list of e-books and e-journals
 Links to Summon and Library OPAC
 Link to ‘Ask a Librarian’
 Off-campus access
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34. Saudi Digital Library
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35. Web scale discovery tool – Summon
 Developed by ProQuest, an American company
 Unified search of library catalog, e-databases, e-
journals and e-books
 Simple and advanced search
 Multi-lingual search and interface
 Citations can be exported
 Name of suggested librarian
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36. Encore Discovery Solution
 Used by KAUST
 Developed by Innovative Interfaces, an American company
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37. Virtual catalog of Saudi libraries
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38. Access to e-resources through mobile
 Links to mobile websites of databases and e-journals
 Links to mobile applications for Android and iTunes
 Installation and user guides for mobile applications
 Use of BookMyne software
 Use of QR codes
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39. Institutional repository
 Archiving of research output of university, i.e., books,
research papers, theses, etc.
 DSpace and ePrints open source software
 Subject wise collections
 Simple and advanced search and browse
 Faculty members can upload their research papers
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40. ‘Ask a librarian’ service
 Online chat service for users
 English and Arabic medium
 Backed by qualified
librarians
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41. Library
presence
on social
media
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42. Online subject guides
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43. Selective dissemination of information – SDI
 Surveys on information needs and interest
areas of teachers and students
 SDI service through email
 User profiles in databases
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44. Going beyond library walls
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45. Liaison librarians program
Functions
 Communicate with college community
 Establish contacts with college faculty and administration
 Attend college functions (meetings, workshops, conferences, social gatherings, etc.)
 Provide help to college in new program design, curriculum revision, accreditation, etc.
 Convey community’s opinions/suggestions to library administration
 Promote library resources and services
 Send alerts to the college community regarding library services
 Create flyers with library information
 Provide current awareness service (New arrivals, etc.)
 Arrange library tours for college community
 Provide help in library feedback surveys
 Develop and manage library collection
 Assess library collection on specific subject
 Involve college faculty in selection of material
 Provide help in purchase of materials
 Provide help in technical processing of specialized material
 Manage library collection (use, weeding, etc.)
 Play role in developing institutional repository
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46. Liaison librarians program…
Functions
 Provide reference assistance
 Keep abreast of resources in specialized subject
 Provide subject focused service at reference desk
 Provide research consultations by appointment
 Answer online reference queries
 Assess information needs of community
 Provide information literacy instruction
 Design information literacy instruction program
 Conduct IL sessions in library and college
 Compile user guides in subject area
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47. Library liaison with industry
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48. Librarian’s role as teacher
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49. Information literacy instruction
 Credit courses
 Workshops for students
 Seminars and workshops for
faculty
 Presentations by database
vendors
 Campaigns to promote
library resources
 Exhibitions of library
materials at conferences
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50. Thanks for your patience
QUESTIONS
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