May 22, University of St. Andrews
Tuesday, The town of St. Andrews
The next day we went to Scotland's first University: the University of St. Andrews, established in 1413. Not only is it Scotland's first, but it's the third in all of the English-speaking West. Oxford is first and Cambridge is second. We were a bit early for our appointment with the university librarians, so our mini-coach dropped us off at what was at one time the largest building in Scotland, St. Andrews Cathedral.
The Cathedral is now in ruins, with only part of one long, sidewall and towers at each end remaining. The foundation of the building is kept clear, so as a visitor, I could still stand and get a feel what it must have felt like to look through the length of the 100-meter long interior.
The Cathedral is now in ruins, with only part of one long, sidewall and towers at each end remaining. The foundation of the building is kept clear, so as a visitor, I could still stand and get a feel what it must have felt like to look through the length of the 100-meter long interior.
The librarians at the University spoke with us candidly about their recent budgeting disappointments. One of the biggest disappointments was the cancellation of new storage for their archive collections. They were in the very last planning stages, just about ready to initiate the build, when a top down decision was made that the funds had to be spent elsewhere. The special collections have instead been moved into a large warehouse not purposed for housing materials with temperature and humidity control needs. The special collections staff is working out of trailers set up near the warehouse, which is off campus.
Despite this tragedy, the library has many great programs they are working on to promote library use and information literacy. The Collection and Technical Services department is working hard to improve their systems, especially adjusting and updating the structures that were originally set up to support print, to support digital. Eighty-percent of their journal budget is now spent on digital subscriptions. The UK community of librarians is working on a collective initiative to stand up to monopolizing publishers to reduce the absurd inflation increases happening more than every year.
For the whole morning and part of the afternoon, we had presentations from almost all departments of the library: Collections and Technical Services, Marketing and Communication, Cataloging and Repository Services, Special Collections and Archives, and the Teaching and Subject Librarians.
It didn't really hit me how old St. Andrews University really is, until I came across these initials in the cobblestone and read about the event that happened at the site. (The school has changed their practices and this no longer happens the students.)
Despite this tragedy, the library has many great programs they are working on to promote library use and information literacy. The Collection and Technical Services department is working hard to improve their systems, especially adjusting and updating the structures that were originally set up to support print, to support digital. Eighty-percent of their journal budget is now spent on digital subscriptions. The UK community of librarians is working on a collective initiative to stand up to monopolizing publishers to reduce the absurd inflation increases happening more than every year.
For the whole morning and part of the afternoon, we had presentations from almost all departments of the library: Collections and Technical Services, Marketing and Communication, Cataloging and Repository Services, Special Collections and Archives, and the Teaching and Subject Librarians.
It didn't really hit me how old St. Andrews University really is, until I came across these initials in the cobblestone and read about the event that happened at the site. (The school has changed their practices and this no longer happens the students.)
Go to all pictures from St. Andrews.