Greek University Libraries in the European Context: a Comparative Evaluation

GEORGE ZACHOS

GREEK UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES IN THE EUROPEAN CONTEXT: A COMPARATIVE EVALUATION

IOANNINA 1999 GEORGE ZACHOS

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GREEK UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES IN THE EUROPEAN CONTEXT: A COMPARATIVE EVALUATION

IOANNINA 1999 1st printing as a Doctoral Thesis Submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the award of Doctor of Philosophy of the Loughborough University of Technology, Loughborough, UK, 1994. 2nd printing with amendments, loannina, Greece, 1999

I wish to express my deep gratitude to Professors A. J. Meadows and Maurice B. Line who encouraged and supervised me in my work on this research that turned out to be as rewarding as it was challenging. I am also indebted to the teaching and administrative staff of the Department of Information and Library Studies at the Loughborough University of Technology for their help during my stay in this department. I would like to thank the Rectorial Council of the University of loannina for providing me with work leaves from my job for visiting UK during my research. I owe a debt to all those librarians in Greece who provided me with information and responded with unfailing courtesy to my written and verbal enquiries. I would like to express my thanks to my friends Paul Beale, Lorraine and David Hodgson for their help in using the English language properly, and Helena M. Mendes for her help in following the administrative procedures at the Loughborough University of Technology. Finally, but not least, I would like to thank my wife, Marina and my daughter Panagiota-Tatyana, for their cheerful encouragement and willingness to give up much of our time together during the writing of this work.

Dedication

To my Family and my Parents

Abstract

The aim of this study is to provide a comprehensive examination of university libraries in Greece seen in the European context. To this end, the thesis: i. discusses the context in which Greek university libraries have developed and the challenges they face; ii. examines the factors that affect their operation and development; iii. assesses their role in university education in supporting the informational, educational and research needs of the academic community; iv. compares their position with similar libraries in other member states of the European Union and in Scandinavia; v. suggests actions needed in order that university libraries in Greece should develop further and play their role better. In this study a standard model for university libraries is developed and performance indicators and methodologies which are proper for this model are used. University libraries are examined as open, dynamic, multi-goal seeking and purposeful systems. They consist of resources which are transformed into outputs for the benefit of their users. Inputs, outputs and outcomes can be measured in a greater or less accuracy but measurement itself is meaningful only if it is placed in some kind of context. University libraries operate within a given environment. They receive their inputs from this environment, and their outputs are used by people or other systems in the environment. They are also constrained by factors in this environment such as the social, economic, educational, technological, etc. In this study not only the performance indicators themselves but also the relationships between them that are indicative of performance were analysed. The main findings of the study are related to the environment within which Greek University Libraries operate, the organisational structures, and administrative practices applied, issues concerning staff and the way they affect library development, the provision of library material, the organisation1 of technical services, and the reader services that are provided. Library — 8 — performance is assessed in a number of ways. The indicators produced and comparisons with the state of development of university libraries in other European countries show that Greek University libraries fall behind them in terms of almost all indicators used. It appears that Greek University libraries are weak in meeting the needs of their users in both education and research. Table of contents

Acknowledgements 3 Abstract 7 List of acronyms 13 List of tables 14 List of figures 16

CHAPTER 1 19 Background of the study 19 1.1 Introduction 19 1.2 Hypotheses 22 1.3 Literature review 23 References and Notes 34

CHAPTER 2 39 Greek University Libraries: External Environment 39 2.1 History and economy of modern Greece 39 2.2 Historical development of Greek university libraries 45 2.3 National library policy 51 2.4 Greek educational system 53 2.5 The Universities 57 Multi-subject universities 60 Single-Subject universities 62 2.6 Campus organisation 64 2.7 Educational practices 64 2.8 The one text-book practice 66 2.9 Attitudes toward university libraries 68 2.10 University administration and the library 71 2.11 Future trends in Greek university education 74 References and Notes 78

CHAPTER 3 83 Greek University Libraries: Internal Environment 83 3.1 Library administration 83 3.2 Library culture 87 3.3 Staff 87 — 10 —

3.3.1 The University Librarian 89 3.3.2 Academic related staff 90 3.3.3 Administrative staff 92 3.3.4 Special Administrative and Technical staff 92 3.3.5 Library assistants 94 3.4 Job motivation and appraisal 95 3.5 Library education 96 3.6 Professional development and in-house training 99 3.7 Professional associations and trade unions 100 3.8 The Budget 101 3.8.1 Budget Management 103 3.9 Collection building 106 References and Notes 114

CHAPTER 4 119 University libraries in other European countries 119 4.1 Library policy and planning 119 4.2 Organisational structures and management 123 4.3 University administration and the library 126 4.4 Library Funding 128 4.5 Staff 131 4.6 Library education 132 4.7 Collection development 133 4.8 Bibliographic tools 134 4.9 Services 136 4.9.1 Library co-operation 137 4.10 Computer Based Networks and Automation 139 4.11 Library Buildings 143 References and Notes 144

CHAPTER 5 153 Methodology 153 5.1 Systems approach 153 5.1.1 Systems environment 156 5.1.2 Inputs- Processes-Outputs 158 5.1.3 Feedback 159 5.2 Performance evaluation 159 5.3 Collection and analysis of data 163 References and Notes 168 — 11 —

CHAPTER 6 171 Results of the study 171 Inputs 171 6.1 Staff 171 6.2 Library funds and expenditures 174 6.3 Collections 187 6.3.1 Text-book (Student) collections 190 6.3.2 Reference Collections 191 6.3.3 Special Collections 192 6.4 Categories of Material 195 6.4.1 Books 195 6.4.2 Periodicals 198 6.4.3 Theses 203 6.4.4 Newspapers 204 6.4.5 Pre-prints and R&D Reports 205 6.4.6 Patents & Standards 206 6.4.7 Maps and Atlases 207 6.4.8 Government Publications 208 6.4.9 Non-print material 208 6.5 Library Buildings 211 6.6 Library Management 215 6.7 Organisational Structures 216 6.8 Physical Organisation 220 6.9 Centralisation vs. decentralisation 221 Library Processes 225 6.10 Acquisitions 225 6.11 Access to Collections 228 6.11.1 Cataloguing 228 6.11.2 Subject Access 232 6.12 Bibliographic Tools 234 6.13 Binding 237 6.14 Library Automation and Networking 237 Outputs 239 6.15 Circulation 239 6.16 Reference and Information services 241 6.17 Library Co-operation and Networking 242 6.18 Copy Services 247 6.19 Hours of Opening 248 — 12 —

6.20 Stock Use and Effectiveness 248 6.20 1 Evaluation by individuals 252 6.21 Interaction with users 254 References and Notes 257

CHAPTER 7 263 7.1 Results of present study in relation to former literature 263 7.2 Conclusions of present study 267 7.3 Recommendations and further research 271 7.3.1 The Government 271 7.3.2 The Universities 273 7.3.3 The University Libraries 274 First priority actions 274 Second priority actions 275 7.4 Further Research 276 References and Notes 278

BIBLIOGRAPHY 281 APPENDIX I 295 QUESTIONNAIRE 295 APPEN