Integrated Development program of the UWR II 2019-2023

Tasks realized by the Wroclaw University Library

The program is implemented by the European Union from ESF funds under the Operational program “Knowledge Education Development”, Priority Axis No. 3 “Higher Education for the Economy and Development”, Measure 3.1 “Competences in Higher Education”.

1. retrospective (computer) processing of the collections from University of Wrocław's libraries and the implementation of a security system as well as

2. control of the collections, lending and returning services based on RFID Hf (Radio Frequency Identification) technology.

Project implementation period: 01.02.2019-31.01.2023

Project value: 17 307 472,60 PLN

Task 1

Retroconversion of the collections from University of Wrocław's libraries

The University Library along with the libraries included in the information and library network performs tasks related to the retroconversion of library materials in seven units: Library of the Faculty of Law, Administration and Economy, Library of the Institute of History, Library of the Institute of English Philology, Library of the Institute of Polish Philology, Library of the Institute of Mathematics and Computer Science, Library of the Social Sciences Department and University Library.

In the cataloging process were included monographs: contemporary publications, didactic works, items from the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries from the departmental libraries' and the Wroclaw University Library's collections. The tasks of the team include downloading descriptions of books already cataloged by other cooperating libraries from the national central catalog of NUKAT to the local catalog of the University Library and adding item records of these publications for University's individual libraries, as well as creating new bibliographic descriptions for monographs that do not have records in the NUKAT central database, along with a complete set of records for the master index of subject headings, i.e. the creation of access points mapped to the Central Master Index of Subject Headings, and a description of the item records of these publications in the University's local catalog database.
Created descriptions will be available both in the central NUKAT catalog and in the electronic local catalog of the Wroclaw University Library (national level), as well as in global catalog databases: WorldCat, KVK, VIAF, ISNI.
In the framework of the project it is planned to create over 53,000 bibliographic records and over 75,000 item records.

Task 2

Implementation of a system for securing and controlling collections as well as handling lending and returning services based on RFID Hf (Radio Frequency Identification) technology

As part of the task no. 2, an electronic system operating in RFID radio technology will be installed in the Wroclaw University Library, enabling the identification of library collections and their protection against theft. The implementation of the system will ensure the protection of non-borrowed collections against their uncontrolled removal from the Library, and is also intended to significantly improve the processes related to lending and controlling library materials. The components of the RFID system are devices that will allow the implementation of these processes. As part of the received EU funding, the following materials and devices operating based on RFID technology were purchased: RFID HF labels securing library materials and allowing for the handling of lending and returning processes using RFID devices, librarian's workstations for coding labels via a data coding application - additionally equipped with manual dispensers of RFID labels, librarians' stations for rentals, returns and renewals of the collections, with the possibility of encoding RFID HF labels, RFID HF devices supporting the organization and control of collections, the so-called mobile counter, RFID Hf transceiver gates with a visitor counter, stations for self-renting, returning and prolonging of collections, the so-called RFID HF selfchecks, an internal RFID HF library drop box with a book sorter and library trolleys, which allows users to return library materials 24/7, i.e. 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. As part of the development of the RFID HF system, WUL also purchased, thanks to the financial support from the European Union, an automated device for collecting ordered books - the so-called book pick-up machine. This device allows Library's users to collect library materials that were ordered remotely via the online catalog 24/7, i.e. 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

The funds obtained under the Integrated Development Program for the years 2019-2023 implemented at the University of Wrocław provide the libraries included in the information and library network of the University of Wrocław with the possibility of computer (retrospective) cataloging of their own library materials. The realisation of this task will contribute to the global dissemination of information about the library collections of the University of Wrocław via the Internet. On the other hand, the purchase of an RFID system and devices operating in RFID technology under the implemented Program will automatically contribute to the optimization of service for users of the Wroclaw University Library, as well as to streamlining not only the lending and returning of library materials, but also internal library processes related to their circulation and control.