Manifesto of university libraries in the face of COVID-19

22/06/2020

The libraries of 13 member and participatory universities of the CSUC (UB, UAB, UPC, UPF, UdL, UdG, URV, UOC, URL, UVic-UCC, UIC, UIB and UJI) have published a joint manifesto where they want to show the need to accelerate the digital transformation of higher education, which has become even more evident due to the health crisis caused by COVID-19.

As stated in the manifesto, the digital transformation requires organizing the field of service delivery in line with the new environment caused by the health situation, in order to ensure that technological innovation reaches all groups in the world effectively. university community, without cracks or breaks. Now, universities are in a very special situation where the transition to virtual or hybrid teaching is being considered for the next academic year. This fact cannot be separated from the demand for digital transformation and the organizational changes that need to be made to make it possible.

In order to provide an efficient response to the current situation, and in addition to the specific actions to improve traditional services that are still very important, libraries need to promote a global vision that helps universities take a step forward in the digital transformation of higher education in all its aspects. We need to have a digital vision and strategy that responds not only to the emerging needs arising from the health crisis but also to the challenges of the next decade.

In this sense, the library services of the member and participatory universities of the CSUC have committed themselves with this manifesto to work over the next few years on 10 specific projects:

1. Support for digital teaching
2. Increase digital teaching content
3. Lead the transition to the e-book
4. New service improvement applications
5. Transformation of spaces according to new learning models
6. University open science
7. Transversal projects
8. New profiles and digital skills
9. Share projects and resources
10. Agenda 2030

For more information you can consult the Manifesto of university libraries in the face of COVID-19.