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10 weeks @ the University of Pittsburgh Libraries: Realizing the differences …
Takeshi Kuboyama (on the left) and University of Pittsburgh
Information Systems Department Head Timothy S. Deliyannides
give a talk on aspects of library technology infrastructure in
the US and Japan.
Through the second Library Connect international residency program, I’ve just spent two and a half months as a visiting librarian with the University Library System at the University of Pittsburgh. I’ve had a wonderful experience at Pitt, and now it’s time for me to return home.
My aim while @ Pitt
I am in charge of library systems and networks at Osaka University, and so I wanted — through my library residency at Pitt — to gain understanding of how we could improve our delivery of services to patrons.
While at Pitt, I focused on:
- Information literacy
- Electronic services
- Management of library computers
- Renewal/upgrade of library integrated systems (including OPAC)
- Visiting other university libraries in the US and Canada
I may have been overenthusiastic, when aiming at covering so many areas while at Pitt, but regardless I learned a lot while there and while visiting other university libraries in the US and Canada.
What I learned while @ Pitt
It is amazing to realize the differences between university libraries in Japan and those in the US or Canada. I would like to tell you about two differences I observed.
First, I learned that something still uncommon in Japan is very common in the US and Canada. In a word, the academic library is at the center of study and research across the university community. Computers and printers, electronic journals, academic databases and off-campus access seem to be more integrated for university members. They are widely using those services as far as I saw.
Something still uncommon in Japan is very common in the US and Canada. In a word, the academic library is at the center of study and research across the university community.
Second, the OPAC is changing to the "next generation" in the US and Canada, while in Japan the OPAC is still a traditional one. As I visited university libraries at Pitt and other American and Canadian institutions, I saw that they have all already implemented new OPACs or are on the way to doing so. The “next-generation OPAC” perhaps will be common in the US and Canada within one year. If Japanese librarians and users saw a “next-gen” OPAC, offering functionalities like “limit your search” or “view table of contents” or offering a more graphical design for navigation, we would know how useful such a next-gen OPAC is for searching or reference services.
Heading home and applying new knowledge
One week after I write this article, I will be going back to my office at Osaka University. Although we cannot just copy the functionalities and services I’ve seen and learned about in the US and Canada, I plan to use well my experience and contribute to my library’s efficiency.
To Elsevier and Pitt, I say, “Thank you
very much for giving me a good
opportunity to learn new things!” 
www.library.osaka-u.ac.jp
http://dwsv.library.osaka-u.ac.jp/pitt_report/pitt_report.html
www.elsevier.com/librarians/LISoutreachprogram
