From the „University Library in the Capital of Culture” to the “5D-Library”

University Library of Chemnitz University of Technology presents its strategy for development until the year 2030

In the year 2030, the University Library has turned into a „5D-Library”. This is the objective determined in the strategy of the University Library of Chemnitz University of Technology which she has published now in short version on a website (mytuc.org/xrfv). In this context, “5D” stands for: digital, dynamic, durable, divers and discursive. Within those thematic fields, the University Library has defined 24 measures in total which will be implemented by already established task teams step by step within the next five years.

“Naturally, we do not start at zero but we may rely on a lot of what we already achieved, for example regarding the engagement for Open Science, the promotion of Open Access, the digitization of our collections, the modularization of services and within sustainability” comments Angela Malz, Director of the University Library. And as so-called “Third Place”, the University Library offers, in addition to the place of work and the own home, a variable location of learning and knowledge inviting to relax, to learn, to stay and to participate in a variety of events and which, within the upcoming years, enhances its portfolio by i.a. a Virtual Reading Hall. Complementarily Malz adds: “Within the strategy, however, we start also a lot of other projects, for example in the field of enhanced engagement in internationalization, in dealing with new AR- and AI-technologies in the library sector as well as in our engagement for long-time-archiving.”

All started with the moving of the University Library to the Old Spinning Mill building in the year 2020. With respect to the concentration from three de-centralized to one central library location, the geographic location and the related task, the new functionalities of the building like an exhibition and an event area as well as to the merging to one team, it was decided to jointly also determine a direction for the short-, mid- and long-term development of the Library. In this context, i.a. workshops with all staff members of the University Library were organized who merged to working groups dealing with respective thematic key fields. At the beginning of 2023, a comprehensive survey among its users consisting of students and scholars of Chemnitz University of Technology, non-scientific staff members as well as external users was implemented. Non-users were included as well. The objective consisted on including the internal as well as the external point of view in the strategy development process. “In total, 630 online-surveys were filled in completely and integrated in the evaluation of results for deriving action measures”, Dr. Wolfgang Lambrecht, Deputy Director of the University Library, reported.

From this emerged a strategy document comprising of more than 40 pages which was presented in summary to the Library Board of Chemnitz University of Technology in December 2024 and was highly appreciated. The short version of the strategic approaches may now be read on the Library-website mentioned above. “I am very delighted that we completed the strategy development process as scheduled so that we may now, right in time of the year of the Capital of Culture, proceed on our way to a 5D-Library” Malz says. In the mid of the strategy period, a mid-term assessment of the way to the “5D-Library” is envisaged where again adherents of Chemnitz University of Technology and external Library users will be asked for their engagement.

(Translation: Dr. Wolfgang Lambrecht)

Anne Eichhorn
03.02.2025

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