ACRL College & Research Libraries News

College & Research Libraries News

The University of Crete Library

By Jane Kemp Circulation Librarian Luther College

A visit to a Mediterranean academic library.

While preparing for a trip to Greece this past summer, I decided to do some homework about academic libraries that I could visit at the same time. Since my itinerary scheduled a week in Crete, a visit to an academic library on that island fitted most easily into my schedule.

My first step was to read about Greece in the

ALA World Encyclopedia of Library and Information Services(ALA, 1986). Here I learned that the University of Crete is relatively new (organized in 1977) and has the only library in Greece completely arranged on the basis of LC classification. My second step was to focus on the University of Crete by reading about it in The World of Learning (Europa Publications, 1988). From here I discovered that the University is divided into two campuses, one in Rethimnon and the other in Iraklion. Since I would be visiting the latter for a longer period of time (the largest city in Crete and the site of Knossos), I narrowed my options to visiting the library on that campus.

From the Lion’s Fountain in the center of Iraklion, bus No. 2 or 3 is routed past the University of Crete for the price of 50 drachmas (about 35 cents). Since this bus is usually packed with tourists on their way to Knossos (located at the terminus of the route), I was lucky to find a local, English-speaking student who could direct me to the university. Located at the top of a steep embankment, it cannot be seen from the street.

After arriving, I was disappointed to learn that the librarian, Janet Tavernaraki, was gone for the day. However, Prof. Flytzanis Nikos of the Physics Department and member of the library committee, was available to give me a walking tour of the library.

He reiterated what I had learned before coming to Crete, that the Faculties of Letters and Physical Sciences are located in two different towns, about one hour apart by car. The facility I visited in Iraklion housed the departments of physics, mathematics, computer science, medicine, chemistry and biology. Founded in 1979 (the other campus started in 1977), the Iraklion campus has an enrollment of 2,500-3,000 students each year. The school year is based on the semester model and runs from September through June.

The building housing the library also houses many of the other departments which compose the Iraklion campus. The present facilities are rapidly being outgrown with the result that a new campus is being designed first for the medical school and later for all departments. No on-campus housing is available for students.

Entrance to the main building at the University of Crete in Iraklion.

The library of the University of Crete is also divided into two locations with the main library located on the Rethimnon campus. Grigoris Tzanodaskalakis is the head librarian responsible for both libraries with his office located at Rethimnon. Janet Tavernaraki is the only professional librarian at the Iraklion campus. Trained in the US, she holds an MLS degree.

She is assisted by several aides whose positions are funded by special moneys and 10-15 student assistants.

Departments at Iraklion make requests for acquisitions from a single library budget which is, in turn, monitored by the librarian. As is typical elsewhere, journal subscriptions are more important to the physical sciences than monographs so funds are primarily spent on periodicals. For example, approximately 50 books were purchased for the department of physics during 1988-89 while 110 journal subscriptions were maintained.

The library collection at Iraklion consists of about 25,000 volumes and 600 journal titles. Textbooks are included in the library collection; many of these also are placed on Reserve for student use. Since Greece is administered on a socialized government model, education is free through the university years. Textbooks are thus supplied for students as a benefit of this system. Approximately 90% of the collection is in English although some first and second year textbooks are in Greek. A reading knowledge of English is necessary to complete a degree.

As I learned before making the trip, the University of Crete made the decision to organize its entire library according to the LC cataloging system when it was first formed. Journals are arranged in alphabetical order by title although back issues are cataloged and shelved among the books.

The card catalog is being converted into machine readable form at the present time with about 85% of the records already converted. Journal records have not yet been converted. Plans are for it to be actively maintained until the automated catalog is fully functional. Cards are ordered from Blackwell and also stencilled locally. Cards for Greek and English language books are filed in separate catalog drawers. The catalog is divided.

Automation for the library was designed and developed by the university computer center. After receiving very high bids from several vendors, the university administration decided to automate the libraries on both campuses using university resources. The resulting system, developed over a five-year period, uses IBM computers and is very similar to OCLC in design. It is expected to be fully functional during the coming school year when additional computer terminals are added (two are currently in use and four more have been ordered).

At the present time, interlibrary loan is in its infancy in Crete. However, increased access to other collections is expected to be one of the major benefits of automation. According to my guide, the National Library, located in Athens, is starting a national database utilizing the LC cataloging system. However, it is heavily humanities centered leaving the physical sciences to chart their own destinies in arranging library cooperation.

Security problems are similar to those experienced in most US academic libraries. Books circulate for a twenty-day loan period to students and for a six-month period to faculty members. Journals do not circulate. To discourage theft, photocopies of library materials are made upon request by the library staff without charge.

School year hours are also similar to those of a U.S. college library. The library is open from 7:30 a. m. to 8:00 p.m. during the week, closing at 3:00 p.m. on Saturday with no hours on Sunday. However, unlike most U.S. academic libraries, faculty are issued keys to the building and may use the library at all times it is not open for regular business.

At the conclusion of my tour, I asked Prof. Nikos about future plans for the library at the University of Crete. Completing the automation project on both campuses is a priority to create a union catalog. He also mentioned the ongoing struggle to increase funding for acquisitions and staff. Since all university staff are government enployees, the political situation in Greece will strongly influence future growth. As a consequence, the elections this year are being observed very carefully.