National library award praises customer orientation and innovative drive

The Deutsche Bibliotheksverband [dbv, German library association] and the ZEIT Foundation Ebelin und Gerd Bucerius are full of praise for the work of Bielefeld University library. The library gained an excellent second place in the national competition for the "Library of the year, 2010". This, the eleventh national German library prize for which all types of library compete together, particularly praised the strong customer orientation and the sustained innovative drive of Bielefeld University library.
Bielefeld University library did not just convince the North Rhine-Westphalia library association, whose nomination was essential for Bielefeld to participate in the national competition, but also the independent jury that also contains representatives of the Federal Government, the Kultusministerkonferenz [Standing Conference of the Ministers for Education and Cultural Affairs of the Länder], and the German Association of Cities. The director of the library, Dr. Michael Höppner, is particularly delighted for his staff: "The prize recognizes our comprehensive service concept that has the backing of the entire library."

The motto "INFORMATION.plus!" at Bielefeld University library does not just stand for a comprehensive information service, but also, and above all, for a number of innovative, user-friendly services that were often first developed and tested in Bielefeld. In professional circles, the University library has long been viewed as a pioneer in modern information services. In earlier years, it was the online catalogue; nowadays, search machine technology and the networking of document servers are the topics on the library agenda shaped by the new, Internet-based approaches to research and teaching.
The users also honour this commitment as well as the good services such as the user-friendly opening hours from 8 in the morning to 1 in the night during the week and 9 in the morning to 10 at night at weekends. As a result, Bielefeld University library regularly takes a leading place in national rankings, for example, second place in the CHE ranking, a nationwide comparison of satisfaction with library services.

Professor Dr.-Ing. Gerhard Sagerer, Rektor of Bielefeld University, was one of the first to congratulate the library, commenting on how the library meets his every expectation: "A University that strives for excellence has to have an excellent library. Bielefeld University is proud of its library!"

"Library of the Year" is the only national library award in Germany. The dbv uses it to honour outstanding and exemplary library work. The goal is to focus public attention on the efficiency and innovation displayed by German libraries and express particular praise for innovative ideas and activities. The prize should encourage libraries to compete with each other in terms of quality and innovation. Other decisive factors considered by the jury are an orientation towards the future combined with a lasting impact, the attractiveness of services, effective publicity in the media, and international commitment.

Bielefeld University library in the Internet:
www.ub.uni-bielefeld.de/informationplus

The German Library Association in the Internet:
www.bibliotheksverband.de