ISSN 1681-0678 CENTRAL LIBRARY Activity report 2002 European Commission Directorate-General for Education and Culture
A great deal of additional information on the European Union is available on the Internet. It can be accessed through the Europa server (http://europa.eu.int). Cataloguing data can be found at the end of this publication. Luxembourg: Office for Official Publications of the European Communities, 2003 ISBN: 92-894-4888-1 European Commission, 2003 Reproduction is authorised provided the source is acknowledged. Printed in Belgium PRINTED ON WHITE CHLORINE-FREE PAPER
CENTRAL LIBRARY Activity report 2002 Education and Culture
Foreword 5 1. Highlights of 2002 6 2. Main achievements of the European Commission central library in 2002 7 Library activities 7 Services to readers 9 Information technology 13 3. Projects for 2003 14 Annexes 15 Mission statement of the central library in 2002 15 Staff of the central library in 2002 15 Human resources, premises and collections of the central library 16 Internet sites 16 Central library budget resources, 1996 2003 17 ECLAS Online catalogue of the central library: Search statistics 2002 18 Activity report Central library 3
Foreword It is not very often that a scientific library moves house! This is what happened, however, in mid-2002 to the European Commission s central library. The size of the collections to be moved and the needs in terms of storage space and consultation areas generally constitute a serious obstacle to this type of operation. Nevertheless, after 50 years in the building known as Joyeuse Entrée, all its collections, its reading rooms and its staff now occupy the building located at 18, rue Van Maerlant in Brussels, with the reading rooms installed on the upper levels of the former convent's church. This original and attractive building is also ideally situated at the crossroads of the European institutions: Parliament, Council, Commission, Committee of the Regions and, in the near future, European Economic and Social Committee. The transfer of the library required a considerable effort from a large number of administrative services, but it was primarily a success solely because of the commitment and devotion of its staff, for whom the purpose of the operation was clear: to move to a place conducive to wider consultation of the collections. Whilst highlighting this major event of 2002, I would like to take the opportunity afforded by this foreword to the library s activity report to thank the women and men who worked unstintingly for several months to achieve this success, which is already reflected in the greater numbers of users. The library is looking for new ways and means interinstitutional, perhaps in its new building; it is ready to take the plunge into the future. I wish it every success and encourage you to make use of its services. Nikolaus G. van der Pas Director-General Activity report Central library 5
1 Highlights of 2002 At the instigation of the secretaries-general of the institutions, the Commission, along with the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions, selected, in 2002, a consultant to carry out a feasibility study for an interinstitutional library. This study is now under way and its findings are expected by spring 2003. The major highlight of 2002 was indisputably the Brussels central library s move to a new Commission building. This complex and tricky operation took place in several distinct stages: installation of the compact shelving in the basements; removal of the collections; installation of the new reading rooms and the staff move. The whole operation took about six months, comprising three months when the library s activities were reduced and a further three months when it was shut down completely. The library reopened on 16 September 2002 and its new premises were officially inaugurated by Mrs Viviane Reding, Member of the Commission with responsibility for education and culture, on 15 October 2002 in the presence of Mr N. van der Pas, Director-General, and Mr J. Vale de Almeida, Director. Lastly, the library s staff devoted a lot of its time in 2002 to preparing a call for tenders aimed at choosing a new library management software. This is an important matter because this choice will condition the quality of the work of managing the library and the network of libraries of the directorates-general with regard to its collections (acquisitions, budget, loans, binding, etc.) and the effectiveness of readers searches in the computerised catalogue. In terms of management, the central library operates the principles of the decentralisation of financial circuits, in accordance with the wishes of the Commission, for all its services. 6 Activity report Central library
2 Main achievements of the European Commission central library in 2002 Library activities The budget allocated to the activities of the library has not changed for several years. However, we have to point out that publishing costs, in general, are increasing on average by 10 % a year. Acquisitions: In 2002, the central library in Brussels made 6145 orders, covering monographs and subscriptions to directories and series not only for the library but also for the directorates-general and the cabinets. Although this figure is similar to that for the previous years (2001: 5 952; 2000: 6 232), it nevertheless reflects an upward trend. The newspapers are for use by all the Commission departments. With regard to the periodicals held in Luxembourg, we should point out that the library receives more than 2 000 titles free of charge, mostly obtained in exchange for Community publications. Acquisitions 2002 Newspapers Periodicals Brussels 6 145 1 207 subscriptions 2 687 subscriptions 114 titles 1 790 titles Luxembourg 650 77 subscriptions 280 subscriptions 45 titles 266 titles It should be noted that the library in Brussels benefits from donations of publications, particularly from national institutes, organisations and universities. Cataloguing: In 2002, 120 338 new notices were created using the MultiLIS library management system. In 2002, the central library in Luxembourg made 650 acquisitions (monographs and standing orders for directories). Here again, the steady decrease in the volume of purchases is due to the stagnation of the budget and the regular increase in prices. This abnormally high figure (the average input is 15 000 notices a year) is due to the incorporation into the system of all the references for articles in periodicals from the old SCAD base and the collections of the Commission s self-tuition centre. Subscriptions: In 2002, the central library in Brussels had 1 207 subscriptions representing 114 daily newspaper titles (compared with 1 203 subscriptions and 119 titles in 2001) and 2 687 subscriptions representing 1 790 specialised periodical titles. At 31 December 2002, there were 327 517 notices in the system. At 31 December 2002, the system had 462 210 documents attached to the notices. In 2002, 213 periodical titles (compared with 82 titles in 2001) were available online in full-text electronic format to European Commission staff in Brussels and Luxembourg. In 2002, the central library in Luxembourg had 77 subscriptions representing 45 daily newspaper titles and 280 subscriptions representing 266 specialised periodical titles. Activity report Central library 7
2 Main achievements of the European Commission central library in 2002 Loans: In 2002, the central library and all the member libraries of Reseaubib (in the directorates-general) made 7 300 loans and 1 611 loan renewals; 7156 borrowed works were returned. The central library in Brussels (CLB) made 3 081 loans and 1019 loan renewals; 3 260 borrowed works were returned. These figures were achieved despite the fact that, when it moved, the library closed down for several months (three months total shutdown and three months reduced activity). and subscriptions; secondly, access to electronic publications from the centralised catalogue. Training: As in every year, the central library organised training courses on the use of its MultiLIS management software. All the modules of the software were covered: acquisitions, serial publications, cataloguing (basic and advanced levels), indexing, loans and transfers, and local lists and management of authorities. Courses on the use of the ECLAS catalogue were also given. In 2002, 75 members of the Commission s staff followed these modules. The central library in Luxembourg (CLL) made 562 loans and 104 loan renewals; 495 borrowed works were returned. MultiLIS statistics at 31 December 2002 Total number of notices 327 517 Total number of new notices 120 338 Total number of documents attached to notices 462 210 Total loans 7 300 CLB 3 081 CLL 562 Total number of loan renewals 1 611 CLB 1 019 CLL 104 Total number of returned loans 7 156 CLB 3 260 CLL 495 Reseaubib: The general assembly of the network of libraries of the Commission DGs and departments was held on 29 November 2002. Two main topics were discussed: firstly, the use of the budgets for acquisitions Eurolib: The institutional and associated member libraries of Eurolib held their 18th general assembly at the Institute of Public Administration in Maastricht on 22 and 23 April 2002 and an interim working meeting on 7 and 8 October 2002 at the Office for Harmonisation in the Internal Market in Alicante. The main topics discussed were: the interinstitutional library project, the development of the Eurolib.net site, the project for electronic publishing and dissemination of Publications Office publications, transparency and public access to documents. External relations: In 2002, the central library took part in the following international meetings: 1 March 2002: 15th Annual Conference of DRA-MultiLIS users, St Louis, USA; 18 March 2002: the International Internet Conference and Exhibition for Librarians and Information Managers, London; 9 April 2002: Annual meeting of EC Information Multipliers, Cuenca; 6 May 2002: DLM Forum, Barcelona; 3 July 2002: LIBER Annual Conference, Graz; 9 October 2002: Book Fair, Frankfurt. 8 Activity report Central library
2 Main achievements of the European Commission central library in 2002 Trainees: The central library in Brussels had Mr Fabrizio Palombi as a trainee from March to July 2002. During this period, he set up an alert system warning the reader, by e-mail, of the arrival in the library s catalogue of an electronically accessible issue of a periodical (TOC Alerts). Services to readers The readers of the central library in Brussels and Luxembourg mainly comprise members of staff of the European institutions and bodies, together with a specialised public seeking information about the Community (students, teachers, lawyers, consultants). The former are called internal readers, the latter external readers. Internal readers have access to the library s services either electronically (consultation of the catalogue and requests for loans are online) or by physically going there. While they have electronic access to the catalogue, external readers cannot make requests for loans online. They can have access to the library by appointment in both Brussels and Luxembourg and consult their collections on the spot. On account of the move, the library in Brussels stopped providing its services on a regular basis between April and 16 September 2002. All readers together (internal and external): 2002 January to March: Normal operation 2002 Reading room Catalogue room Visitors received 5 910 1 200 Bibliographical information 3 600 2 400 Telephone enquiries 4 200 3 200 Fax enquiries 225 50 E-mail enquiries 2 880 1 200 Works taken out of storage 6 374 2002 April: Normal operation except for consultation of periodicals, which are only available for the current year (2002) 2002 Reading room Catalogue room Visitors received 1 281 400 Bibliographical information 1 200 800 Telephone enquiries 1 400 1 380 Fax enquiries 75 15 E-mail enquiries 1 200 400 Works taken out of storage 2 099 2002 May to June: Opening of the library two days a week, only for staff of the institutions. The loan service is no longer in operation; only the works in the rooms are accessible 2002 Reading room Catalogue room Visitors received 500 180 Bibliographical information 240 160 Telephone enquiries 480 140 Fax enquiries 70 30 E-mail enquiries 1 000 60 Activity report Central library 9
2 Main achievements of the European Commission central library in 2002 2002 1 July to 15 September: Complete shutdown of the library for the move 2002 16 September to 31 December: Reopening of the library 2002 Reading room Catalogue room + 3 + 4 Visitors received 583 333 Bibliographical information 996 648 Telephone enquiries 1 200 800 Fax enquiries 100 150 E-mail enquiries 1 800 1 200 Works taken out of storage 1 890 External readers: In 2002, the reader s card office of the Brussels library issued 388 access authorisations for several days to outside readers: 245 were given to students, of which 194 were for post-graduate level students from 48 universities and grandes écoles in the European Union or non-member countries, and 143 were for representatives of the liberal professions, professors, national civil servants, etc. A total of 1 648 authorisations for one-day visits were issued, and 27 group visits were organised in 2002. Once the new library had been inaugurated, applications for oneday and group visits doubled compared with the previous year. Cumulative table 2002 2002 Reading room Catalogue room Visitors received 8 274 2 113 Bibliographical information 6 036 4 008 Telephone enquiries 7 280 5 520 Fax enquiries 470 245 E-mail enquiries 6 880 2 800 Works taken out of storage 10 359 External readers at the central library in Brussels in 2002 Students 245 Various professions 143 Total number of access authorisations 388 One-day visits 1 648 Group visits 27 A total of 229 352 photocopies were made for the staff of the institutions in 2002. 10 Activity report Central library
2 Main achievements of the European Commission central library in 2002 The central library in Luxembourg received about 8 800 visitors in the reading and catalogue rooms in 2002. The increase in this figure compared with 2001 (8 000) is due to an increase in the number of visitors to the library during the lunch break from the many conferences held in the BECH building. The number of searches carried out in 2002 was around 4 500. A total of 63 408 free photocopies were produced for readers. Interlibrary loans (ILLs): 449 requests were made to outside libraries for loans (outgoing ILLs) by the central library in Brussels and 320 by the libraries of the Commission DGs and departments. Of the 449 requests by the central library in Brussels, 345 were made via contract suppliers; 428 requests were fulfilled. Also during this year, the central library in Brussels received 134 requests for loans (incoming ILLs) from other libraries and was able to meet 106 of them. Outgoing interlibrary loans from the CLB in 2002 Activities of the central library in Luxembourg in 2002 Visitors 8 800 Bibliographical searches 4 500 Free photocopies 63 408 Total Contract suppliers (*) 449 345 Fulfilled 428 Not fulfilled 21 (*) Impala, BLDSC, Subito, DBI-Link. Outgoing interlibrary loans from DGs (*) in 2002 Total 320 Fulfilled 174 Not fulfilled 146 (*) By Impala only for the following DGs: Enterprise, Environment, Economic and Financial Affairs, Agriculture and the Legal Service. Incoming interlibrary loans to the CLB in 2002 Total 134 Fulfilled 106 Not fulfilled 28 Activity report Central library 11
2 Main achievements of the European Commission central library in 2002 Number of incoming interlibrary loan requests per country for 2002 Austria 1 Belgium 20 Canada 1 Denmark 20 Finland 3 France 12 Germany 5 Greece 6 Hungary 3 Ireland 13 Italy 11 Netherlands 3 Norway 3 Poland 2 Portugal 1 Spain 23 United Kingdom 1 United States 6 Total 134 The figures for interlibrary loans show that there has been an increase in their use. This is a result of the continuing need for the service from external readers resident in other countries, who can only borrow publications via an interlibrary loan. The central library in Luxembourg handled about 585 interlibrary loans in 2002, both incoming and outgoing (Reseaubib and international loans). Interlibrary loans for the CLL in 2002 585 Publications: The central library in Brussels publishes the Biblio Information series. In the Biblio-Europe, Biblio-International and Biblio-Est/East series, 2 600 copies each of editions 1 to 4 were published in 2002. The library offers an electronic version of the complete Biblio series (including Biblio-Flash) on the European Commission s Intranet, that is, only available for use by its staff. This form of selective dissemination of information gives, when available, a link to the index or the full text of the periodical articles selected. The Biblio-Flash series also offers a condensed selection of texts summarising the documentation available on a certain subject. In this category, one title is to be noted in 2002: Euro - the single European currency. 12 Activity report Central library
2 Main achievements of the European Commission central library in 2002 Information technology The main IT event of 2002 was indisputably the change of library management software. Following a study of the needs, the specifications and the market, completed in March 2002, the library services got down to the task of drafting specifications for the issuing of a call for tenders, which should be ready at the beginning of 2003. In 2002 too, the library switched to a new version of its current management software (DRA-MultiLIS, version 11.2.1). During summer 2002, the notices of periodical articles from the old SCAD base were added to the library s catalogue. Since then, all the information contained in the periodicals to which the library has taken out subscriptions can be consulted in the computerised catalogue. In 2002, the library continued with its policy of developing electronic access to periodicals: a system automatically warning the reader of anything new appearing in a periodical was installed for Commission staff. Since the beginning of 2002, the library has had a post for an administrator of its management system, which is filled by Ms Loureiro da Costa. Activity report Central library 13
3 Projects for 2003 In 2003, the library in Brussels will have to consolidate its services in its new working environment (rules of procedure for the reading rooms, new financial circuits, reorganisation of the subscriptions sector, adaptation of certain services, etc.). The major objective for this year is still, however, to choose a new library management software and, if possible, to introduce it. 14 Activity report Central library
Annexes Mission statement of the central library in 2002 Through the Commission central library and networking with other partner libraries, to offer researchers quality library services based on extensive collections and electronic management of those collections within its ECLAS catalogue: making available to the Commission, its staff and others seeking information in the field of Community integration any useful information published in either paper or electronic format; responding cost-effectively to requests for documents and offering interactive electronic library services allowing users to have access to information and/or to identify information sources without having to call upon external assistance and without prior training; developing cooperation partnership between libraries both inside and outside the Commission, and in particular with the libraries of the other institutions. Staff of the central library in 2002 Anna MELICH Head of Unit Roland LAURENT Deputy Head of Unit Horst WOHLFEIL Librarian in charge, Luxembourg Activity report Central library 15
Human resources, premises and collections of the central library Human resources of the central library (as at 1 January 2003) Brussels A: 2, LA: 1, B: 15, C: 24, D: 5. Luxembourg A: 0, B: 2, C: 8 + 1 vacant, D: 2. Premises/collections of the central library Brussels (up to June 2002) 1 reading room (62 places) displaying around 12 700 reference works and/or periodicals, plus 36 newspapers; 1 catalogue room permitting consultation of databases; some 500 000 volumes; 4 storage areas underground (1625 m 2 for 380 000 volumes) and an offsite store (rue Vandenbranden: around 2500 m 2 for 120 000 volumes). Brussels (since July 2002) 1 reading room on two levels (63 places) displaying 14 000 reference works, 314 periodical titles, 36 newspaper titles, 364 CD-ROM titles. Databases can also be consulted here; some 500 000 volumes; 1 storage area underground (1200 m 2 for 304 800 volumes) and an offsite store (rue Vandenbranden: around 2500 m 2 for 195 200 volumes). In order to leave enough room in the new storage areas for expanding the collections over the next eight years or so, it has been necessary to withdraw 18 000 works and remove about 75 200 volumes to the offsite store in rue Vandenbranden. Luxembourg 1 reading room (28 places) containing 2 500 reference works; 1 catalogue room permitting consultation of databases; 4 storage areas (860 m 2 ) containing some 90 000 volumes. Internet sites ECLAS: Central library: http://europa.eu.int/eclas/ http://europa.eu.int/comm/libraries/ 16 Activity report Central library
Central library budget resources, 1996 2003 ( 000 EUR) 1996 ( 1 ) 1997 ( 2 ) 1998 ( 3 ) 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 A-2250 Purchase of books 700 560 557 560 749 ( 4 ) 710 710 730 A-2252 Subscriptions to newspapers and periodicals 1 400 1 544 A-2253 Subscriptions to press agencies 540 A-2254 Binding 180 176 139 140 A-2255 Subscriptions to and purchases of data ( 2 ) 1 345 1 745 3 218 3 300 EAC.D.3 1 540 ( 5 ) EAC.D.3 1410 EAC.D.3 1 410 EAC.D.3 1 450 (Admin 1 725) (Admin 1983) (Admin?) (Admin?) (+ copyright) 200 (including copyright) (including copyright) (including copyright) ( 1 ) Heading A-2255 was managed jointly with X.B.8. ( 2 ) Headings A-2252 and A-2253 have been amended with a view to keeping up with changes in the field of electronic media. ( 3 ) Heading A-2255 has included headings A-2252 and A-2253 since 1998. ( 4 ) Heading A-2250 has included binding since 2000 (ex-a-2254: library stocks, purchases and preservation). ( 5 ) Heading A-2255 is managed jointly with the Personnel and Administration DG. Activity report Central library 17
ECLAS Online catalogue of the central library Search statistics 2002 2 500 2 000 1 500 1 000 Number of searches per day 500 0 Jan. Feb. March April May June July Aug. Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec. Totals Internal External 18 Activity report Central library
European Commission Central library Activity report 2002 Luxembourg: Office for Official Publications of the European Communities, 2003 2003 18 pp. 21 x 29.7 cm ISBN 92-894-4888-1
Education and Culture EN NC-AB-03-001-EN-C Central library 18, rue Van Maerlant B-1049 Brussels Tel: (32-2) 299 90 64 and (32-2) 296 06 57 Opening hours: from Mondays to Thursdays: 10 am to 5 pm Annual closure in August Publications Office Publications.eu.int