What is EBIB?
EBIB is a professional library service that has existed since 1999 and is being created for Polish librarians. At the beginning EBIB was an independent entity, but since 2002 till 2010 EBIB functioned within the structures of the Polish Librarians Association as the Commission for Electronic Publishing. In March 2010 the EBIB Association was established and this organisation is at present the official publisher of EBIB.
The idea of EBIB was introduced to the information specialists’ discussion list INFOBIB-l (INFOBIB-l@man.torun.pl ) of the of Polish librarians. The original meeting took place in Warsaw at the National Library on the 29th of January of 1999. Ten librarians of diverse professional backgrounds attended the meeting; the group consists of: National Library specialists with experience in generating electronic information sources, members of academic libraries, members of Institutes for Library Sciences, as well as library staff of Polish franchise of a foreign company. The service editorial team consists of: the Editorial Board, editors of particular services, editors of Bulletin EBIB, news editors, technical section, the translators and proof-readers (30 people in total).
The main tasks of the project were defined during the first meeting in Warsaw and they are as follows:
* integration of library environment,
* creation of the discussion forum,
* quick and accurate delivery of professional information,
* creation of Internet sources for librarians.
EBIB’s services
The Bulletin EBIB is a monthly open access journal, that includes:
* essays,
* reports, analysis
* announcements,
* letters,
* discussions/polemics,
* agenda (upcoming conferences, other events).
Each issue has its separate theme. However, regardless of the particulars of the main subject, some important and current information can be published.
The information service (permanent chapters):
* News
* Publications (Polish library conferences materials, publications concerning EBIB, publications dealing with contemporary problems of LIS Polish)
* Libraries directory (database of Polish libraries)
* Other services:
- Polish and foreign digital libraries (links to important digitization projects)
- Journals (a list of Polish journals for librarians, foreign e-journals)
- Education (education centres for librarians of various levels)
- Grants (supporting organisations that librarians can address)
- OPAC (links to Polish and foreign catalogues OPAC)
- Conferences (information on Polish and foreign conferences for librarians)
- Open Access (directory of variety of inictatives regarding OA movement)
- Job (job offers for librarians)
- Legal matters (legislative issues regarding library business in Poland)
- Reports (important reports dealing mostly with Polish libraries, librarianship problems and book market)
All the services are updated regularly.
Principles of work
The group worked out methods which allow for smooth operation of this virtual board of editors, proficient and well organised in their respective fields of expertise and residing in different parts of the country (Warsaw, Cracow, Torun, Lodz, Wroclaw -big academic centres), communicate via the Net (teleworking group).
EBIB’s teamwork, organisation and day-to-day operations are completely voluntary and non-profit search for new possibilities, sheer enthusiasm and satisfaction from creating a useful tool is what drives EBIB’s team. Bearing in mind that such fine idea has to be supported by some substantial means, the team considers a EBIB’s prospective transformation into a professional on-line library portal.
Future
EBIB’s purpose to provide professional service for Polish library environment. The members of EBIB would like fellow librarians from other countries to know their issues/problems and discuss them. The portal is to inform the librarians at large about Polish information resources (central catalogues, on-line library, databases and others). EBIB’s team wants to gradually introduce chargeable services as well, e.g: designing web pages for the libraries and printing conference materials (this service has already started) in both language versions.
EBIB, naturally, would like to seek out sponsors and gain financial support for the project. Special attention in put on Bulletin EBIB, which should reach the readers all over the world. Polish library service also requires more activity on the part of librarians themselves in order to create a greater discussion forum. An enthusiastic spontaneous year-long experiment should now begin evolving into something more professional.
So far, the EBIB team has performed successfully, all editors are full of bright new ideas and enthusiasm ready to share their experiences with their colleagues in other countries.
Iwona Sójkowska
President of EBIB Association