Search

The unconventional libraries have emerged as a result of initiatives by individuals, NGOs or other types of organizations in order to facilitate access to reading in a different context from the traditional, institutional one. In most cases, these are public access libraries consisting of collections of print books for borrowing available in unconventional spaces (cafes, malls, hotels, outdoors, etc.) or as itinerant collections. Their main function is not to preserve their collections, but to make them more accessible and more attractive to users. Unconventional libraries can be an alternative to the collections and services of conventional libraries but also a unique solution, when serving certain disadvantaged users in terms of access to conventional libraries. The authors propose a division of unconventional libraries into three categories - libraries organized in unconventional spaces, mobile libraries and micro libraries - and present examples of unconventional libraries in Romania. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Between 2011 and 2012 "Lucian Blaga" University Library in Sibiu joined important European libraries in the Europeana Libraries project. This project aimed to reach a new audience, the research community, and therefore established new approach and services via the newly designed The European Library portal. "Lucian Blaga" University Library contributed to this project with two of its digital collections, and together with the Romanian Academy Library helped promoting the national cultural and research heritage. The authors mention here the steps taken by the "Lucian Blaga" University Library in Sibiu and describe the collections delivered and now available through both The European Library/Europeana portals. The collaboration with these institutions will continue in the near future, more precisely in 2013-2015 with Europeana Cloud where the university library will continue to deliver digital content from its collections. The article mentions also the local collaborations established between the "Lucian Blaga" University Library and "ASTRA" County Library, Brukenthal National Museum, Teutsch Cultural Centre and their efforts to reach new partnerships with "Lucian Blaga" University Library in Cluj-Napoca and "1 Decembrie 1918" University Library in Alba Iulia to create a Transylvanian Digital Library [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]