The UI Library Has A Vision To Become A World-class Research Library

Vice Rector of UI Prof Abdul Haris. (Photo: Antara)

JAKARTA - UI Deputy Chancellor for Academic and Student Affairs at the University of Indonesia Prof. Abdul Haris said that the UI Library as one of the main academic support facilities for learning, teaching, and research has a vision of becoming a world-class research university library.

"Since last year, libraries have restricted almost all their physical services and have turned most of them into online-based services", said Abdul Haris in a statement in Depok, West Java, as reported by Antara, Sunday, March 21.

According to him, the challenges faced due to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021 will grow bigger than the previous year.

"The UI library wants to explore trends and issues facing university libraries in general, and in Southeast Asia in particular, and what can be done to overcome these problems", he said.

For that, he said, the UI Library has held an international webinar entitled Trends and Issues in Southeast Asian Academic Libraries 2021 which displays several best practices in the management of academic libraries, including collection development, various library services, application, and utilization of information technology. and other innovations that could be implemented during and after a pandemic.

"This webinar is expected to provide mutual input and inspiration for higher education library services to boost their role and function in supporting the distance learning process", said Abdul Haris.

The Director-General of Higher Education of the Republic of Indonesia, Prof. Nizam, said that librarians play a role in helping students and academics to navigate in the sea of information. Collaboration between libraries is very important to develop, especially during a pandemic.

"This webinar will foster new ideas, innovations, new collaborations, strengthen existing collaborations, and strengthen regional library networks", he said.

Head of the UI Library, Utami Budi Rahayu Hariyadi, said changes in user services and library operational activities must be carried out in response to the pandemic situation that is still happening.

On the one hand, libraries must increase the development of electronic resources and online-based technology services, but on the other hand, there is a reduction in budgets due to economic factors.

Under these conditions, the UI Library wants to explore further, what trends and issues are faced by higher education libraries in the world in general, Southeast Asia in particular, and what is being done to overcome these problems.

The material in the webinar is packaged in the form of resource persons' explanations and discussions using the menti.com application. This webinar is expected to provide input and inspiration for higher education library services to increase their role and function in supporting the distance learning process.