The libraries in students’ and undergraduates’ educational reading

Abstract

The goal of the study was to reveal distinction between the reading practices at different educational levels and to specify the libraries’ place in these practices. The reading practices are determined not only by the new technological (digital) environment but also by the institutional and organizational context and social relationship within the educational environment. The case study of educa-tional institutions of Novosibirsk Academic Center (namely Novosibirsk State Uni-versity and the University’s specialized Academic Research Center) was accom-plished. The data was acquired through structured interviews, questionnaire-based survey supplemented with the statistical data of RAS SB State Public Scien-tific and Technological Library. The majority of high-graders use the library for textbooks and/or if recommended by the teacher. The university library is less involved in the educational process; the students visit the library occasionally (e.g. searching for rare publications or lacking alternatives). The university is not their source of digital documents or full texts either; the students prefer not to scruti-nize the specificity of every database and access procedure and turn to searchable Internet-resources. The library, in student’s opinion, needs modernization for less formal and disciplinary regulations, for more comfort, and polyfunctional envi-ronment of reading rooms.