Christopher Landes, Director of the Library at the Hertie School, tells us how CIVICA libraries are working together to improve research opportunities for all.
Christopher Landes is Director of the Library at the Hertie School. He has been working closely with the libraries of Hertie’s nine CIVICA partner universities to create a true “European Library of the Social Sciences”.
In an interview, he tells us how CIVICA libraries are improving research opportunities for students and researchers alike, and how he benefitted from collaborating with colleagues around Europe.
Christopher, you were recently at Central European University in Vienna to meet with librarians from around the CIVICA network. Could you tell us about what you are currently working on?
One of the main goals of the cooperation is to explore the possibility of joint licensing of electronic resources.
Other working groups are looking at the information literacy skills of CIVICA students and how to meet the literature needs of our community. It is quite complicated to coordinate a cross-campus course and make it technically and legally feasible for students from ten different institutions to read the same content.
Another focus is the visibility of research publications. We are discussing how to better present our Open Access collections. Open Access publishing and, more generally, Open Science practices are one of the guiding concepts of the CIVICA library network. We strive to facilitate access to literature and research results.
In short, there is a lot going on in the CIVICA library world!
You lead the collaboration between CIVICA universities on Open Educational Resources (OER). Could you explain what OER are, and why the topic is important?
Open Educational Resources are any kind of teaching, learning or research materials, such as textbooks, case studies, worksheets or videos, that are openly accessible and can be used, adapted or redistributed by anyone for free, with no or limited restrictions.
The OER approach fits into the broader idea of Open Science mentioned above. The concept aims to make higher education more accessible and participatory by implementing the open and free practices of sharing, collaborating and publishing.
Another important reason to get involved in the development and promotion of OER is the huge increase in the price of textbooks, which either students or libraries must pay. While the creation of OER may not be free per se, there are significant benefits for students and instructors alike. Not only can they access learning materials easily and freely, but they can also reuse them and adapt them to their specific needs.
You have recently organised OER training for CIVICA librarians. What was the goal?
The training focussed on two objectives. The first was to learn the basics and deepen our understanding of what OER are compared to traditional textbooks. We explored different repositories and platforms that provide access to OER materials and looked at the different types of licences that apply to OER.
Our second objective was to establish a CIVICA network of OER contact points. This network will facilitate the exchange of best practices on OER.
We have already planned our next workshop for the autumn, which will build on this foundation. We hope that this initiative will be a step forward in our commitment to integrating OER into our educational practices.
What are some of the barriers you face in CIVICA libraries?
In the beginning, it was difficult to connect because the projects started during the pandemic. It became clear that local meetings were crucial to progress, as it can take time to collaborate effectively across institutional and technical boundaries.
The different capacities of institutions within the network pose a further challenge in terms of matching resources and skills. Different levels of commitment and prioritisation among member libraries can affect the speed and efficiency of collaborative efforts.
It is a continuous learning process, but I believe we can overcome barriers and advance our common goals within the CIVICA network by sharing best practices and cultivating a spirit of cooperation.
How has participation in the CIVICA alliance improved the work of the library at the Hertie School?
Being part of this international network has opened up numerous opportunities for professional development and sharing ideas that have enhanced our library services.
For example, our approach to open Research Data Management (RDM) has benefitted greatly from working with CIVICA. The sharing of expertise has taken our RDM practices to a level that we might not have achieved on our own. We now have our own RDM policy, services and support for our researchers on how to deal with their research data.
Participation in CIVICA has also brought direct financial benefits. We have received funding that has enabled us to create a new post within our team, thereby increasing our capacity to support our academic community.
One of the most positive aspects has been the opportunity to learn from our colleagues across the CIVICA network. Sharing best practices and visiting different libraries during conferences and as part of the staff mobility programme has provided invaluable insights to the participating librarians.
Personally, how have you benefitted from being involved in the CIVICA network?
I have benefitted a lot from the CIVICA network. The opportunity to meet and collaborate with international colleagues is a great experience. I am truly a European, and being part of CIVICA has integrated this into my professional life.
One of the most exciting aspects of this involvement has been the opportunity to work internationally on emerging issues such as OER and RDM.
Could you please share your vision for the CIVICA library in ten years?
My vision for the CIVICA library is one of continued professionalisation, collaboration and excellence. CIVICA aspires to be the leading European social science university, and I believe that our libraries, as the heart of any university, will play a crucial role in achieving this vision.
In the coming decade, I hope we can secure additional funding to expand our capacity and resources. This will enable us to better support teaching staff, offer information literacy courses and to provide our users with access to all member libraries, including to their research and teaching materials. By sharing resources and expertise, we can contribute to an integrated international campus experience for all CIVICA students and faculty.
This interview was originally prepared and published by Dania Abu-Sharkh on the CIVICA website.
About CIVICA
CIVICA brings together ten leading European higher education institutions in the social sciences, humanities, business management and public policy, with a total of 72,000 students and 13,000 faculty members. Together, they build on an ever-stronger combination of teaching research and innovation to mobilise and share knowledge as a public good and to facilitate civic responsibility in Europe and beyond.