UDC 027.7:378.4(477)BGKMU]:005.591.6

Opryshko T. S.

Library, Borys Grinchenko Kyiv Metropolitan University (Kyiv, Ukraine),

e-mail: t.opryshko@kubg.edu.ua, ORCID 0000-0002-9282-0182

New Roles of a Librarian: The Experience of Grinchenko University

Objective. The article considers the transformation of the roles of librarians in the modern information society: from information providers to educators, which is a sign of the successful process of internationalization of higher education. The object of the research is the new forms of work of librarians on the example of the experience of Borys Grinchenko Kyiv Metropolitan University and the First Summer School for Beginners and Experienced Scientists “Scientific Career at the International Level: Tools for Researchers and the English Language” held in June 2024. Methods. The methods of marketing and monitoring research are described to determine the most popular topics and emotionally attractive names among the target audience. Results. The results and their discussion focus on the fact that the experience of the Grinchenko University Summer School showed the possibility of high-quality training and advanced training of scientists of different levels and fields of knowledge on the basis of the library of the higher education institution. Conclusions. The change in the role of librarians from information providers to educators in the context of internationalization of higher education is inevitable. Moreover, librarians are forced to be one step ahead of the rest of the university's scientists.

Keywords: changing roles of librarians; summer school for researchers; advanced training; library; internationalization of higher education

Introduction

The program of the advanced training course was clearly structured and logically constructed. Participants noted this in their feedback after the training. An important stage was to start classes with the concept of the scientific method and the importance of scientific research, choosing a research topic, formulating hypotheses and research tasks, creating a research plan and schedule, using academic databases and search strategies, critically evaluating scientific literature, and working with bibliographic managers. Special attention was also paid to English classes for researchers. It considered the structure of the scientific text: writing an abstract – theses – articles, defining logical markers, set phrases, textual links, translating the terminology of one's field: searching for English-language correspondences and forming one's own word forms. As a result of the comprehensive preparation of the program and the well-coordinated work of the trainers, the participants of the summer school received the most important thing – the desire and readiness for scientific achievements.

The event received positive feedback from the participants and confirmed its relevance and necessity.

Methods

In our survey regarding the choice of the most eloquent and attractive name of the Summer School, we applied an interval metric scale, which in Google Forms is implemented through questions of the “with answer options” type.

We offered the respondents 10 formulations of the name of the Summer School, from which they had to choose one. The survey involved 75 respondents from among PhD students and persons with a scientific degree. Since the potential target audience of the Summer School is young scientists and those who already have experience in defending a thesis and in scientific publications in various journals, we consider the sample of survey participants to be relevant in terms of quality.

Results and Discussion

On the way to the development of the scientific component of the academic library, one of the main areas of work is to support scientific research (Singh & Siwach, 2024). Given the challenges faced by modern Ukrainian scientists, librarians are gradually becoming lecturers and mentors on digital tools for researchers, the search for literature and sources of scientific information, maintaining author profiles, scientometrics, academic integrity and much more (Opryshko & Skladannyi, 2020).

The implementation of the principles of open science is relevant for Ukrainian scientists (Nazarovets, 2022), but not everyone knows about the available practices. Therefore, librarians take on an educational function on these and many other issues.

The experience of the library of Borys Grinchenko Kyiv Metropolitan University is based on the research of the demand for the most popular topics from Ukrainian researchers and timely response to their challenges. In the era of prosperity of factories of scientific publications and the unmotivated use of artificial intelligence, the issue of high-quality scientific research remains relevant.

The First Summer School for Beginners and Experienced Scientists “Scientific Career at the International Level: Tools for Researchers and the English Language” held at the Grinchenko University confirmed the relevance of high-quality training and advanced training on the basis of the library of the higher education institution.5.

Conclusions

Changing the roles of librarians from information providers to educators in the context of internationalization of higher education is inevitable in today's information society. Librarians must adapt to the new challenges and needs of the scientific community. One of the main areas of librarians' work is to support scientific research. This includes training researchers in the use of digital tools, literature retrieval, author profiling, scientometrics, and academic integrity. The implementation of the principles of open science is relevant for Ukrainian scientists. Librarians take on an educational function on these issues, helping researchers navigate new practices. The experience of the library of Borys Grinchenko Kyiv Metropolitan University demonstrates the importance of researching the demand for the most popular topics among researchers and responding to their challenges in a timely manner. Qualitative training and advanced training: The Summer School for Beginners and Experienced Scientists “Scientific Career at the International Level: Tools for Researchers and the English Language” showed the possibility of carrying out qualitative training and advanced training on the basis of the library of a higher education institution. The event received positive feedback from the participants, which confirms its relevance and necessity. This indicates the success of new approaches in the work of librarians. Librarians are forced to be one step ahead of the rest of the university's scientists, constantly developing and improving their knowledge and skills to effectively support scientific activities. These findings highlight the importance of the new roles of librarians in the modern scientific environment and their key role in supporting and developing scientific research.

REFERENCES

Kari, H. K., & Oyeniran, G. K. (2019). Promoting library services in the social media era: exploring use, objectives, challenges and perceived influence. Skhid, 5(163), 60-66. doi: https://doi.org/10.21847/1728-9343.2019.5(163).180787 (in English)