National Chi Nan University Library
History
The library was established in July 1995 at The Affiliated Senior High School of National Chi Nan University. It was moved to the university campus in May 1996 and operated at the General Teaching Building and later at the College of Science and Technology building IV where it provided services to all students and university staff.
After the temporal closure due to the 921 earthquake in 1999, the Library operated at the basement of the canteen in May 2000 while occupying only the 1st and 2nd floor of the College of Science and Technology building IV. The construction of the Library and Information Science Building seen today began on 20 September 2002 and took 4 years to complete. During that period, careful inspection and decorations were carried out to ensure a comfortable and refreshing reading space. Finally the Library was officially opened to all faculties, students (and guest) on the 1st of September 2006 on its new building.
Organization structure
The Library is divided into four department’s i.e the Acquisition and Cataloging Department, System Information Department, Reading Services Department and Administration Department. The Director of the Library oversees all four departments and the Library Advisory Committee is responsible for the library’s development and the handling of middle-long term projects.
Characteristic Development
◆Exquisite Services
1. Automatic system update: We introduced a state of the art system (similar to that of Oxford University Library, British Library and Tsing Hua University Library) and it has been up and running since September 2013 providing our readers with a convenient search experience.
2. In order to improve service quality and innovation, we modified the services items and regulations:
• Increased loan items and loan period, and fines may not be imposed for a book that is recalled but not returned within three days.
• Provide book bags for readers
• Provide beverages like coffee during exam time in the Study rooms
• Set pinyin input method in public computers for international readers
• Release new information regularly
• Recommend books and audio-visual material
3. Research support: We joined RAPIDILL in 2013 and gained more abundant academic materials, which is currently free for teachers and students for academic researches. Through our announcement system, we instantly inform teachers from each department of the academic material purchasing progress. We actively cooperate with National Central Library in uploading the electronic file of dissertation. The rate of attainment reached 100% by 2014 and we received praise from the government. The file guidance for use:
• Educational activities for Freshmen
• Instruction of Endnote
• Lectures about database of each college
4. Instructional aid: We provide various rooms and equipment for teaching purposes. We have 8 discussion rooms, 6 audiovisual rooms and we also have laptops, iPads and digital cameras for circulating.
5. Internal efficacy: While implementing the energy saving and carbon reduction program we saved a total of 1,730,526 KWh electric power in 2014 and in 2015. This means, based on the average electricity bill which is NTD2.91/KWh, we saved NTD5,035,831 in total for those years. We changed traditional lamps to induction lamps which can automatically switch on or off. We control the air conditioners and set energy saving fans on every floor to enhance air circulation.
In our effort to conserve energy, we participated in selection for excellent schools of the education program for Campus Guidance Group on Energy Saving and Carbon Reduction in 2016, and we won the first prize among universities and colleges.
◆Differentiation of characteristics
1. Image shaping: We expect the library to be “Eslite” of university libraries and we put the library badge designed with cherry blossom and the discovery logo to all kinds of prospectus like bookmarks and folders to create the brand image of the library.
2. Spatial development: In order to create a comfortable reading atmosphere, we have a coffee area, tables and chairs at the lobby and a New Acquisitions Display area at the first floor. We decorated the Foreign Books area on the second floor with exotic decorations to create a special reading space. We have our Reading Area in the third floor and redecorated the discussions rooms from third to fifth floor’s as commons for readers in 2016.
3. Multi-functional features: The library provides teachers and students with room for Exhibition, lectures, study groups etc. Our interests are things or ideas that attract students, good for learning and for career development and we irregularly invite lectures to deliver speeches in the library.
4. Resource integration: Since there is a limited resource for schools, we request for sustained growth and positively utilize extramural resources. We held “Time Travel” and “Treasures on the Clouds” exhibitions with Academia Sinica Center for Digital Cultures in 2014 and established Puli Reading Alliance with Puli Town Library, the library of the Affiliated Senior High School of Nation Chi-Nan University and Puli industrial Vocational High School to increase resources for the university. The university aims at attaching importance to the education of Chinese students and Southeast Asia, so we improve the interaction with Southeast Asia to highlight the development and achieve the goal of developing in the international market.
We held the “Diversity and magnificence –Southeast Asia” exhibition with the department of Southeast Asia Studies and Overseas Student Recruitment Committee during the 20th anniversary of the university and the Conference of national colleges principals in 2015. We hosted Po-lin Chi aerial photograph charitable tour exhibition in 2016 and invited director Chi to give an introduction. We also hosted cherry blossom information display and book fair to make the public actively participate in the activities of the Chi Nan blossom season every year.
◆Internationalization of collections
1. Southeast Asia collections: The library actively works with Southeast Asia Institute, which is the first Southeast Asia institute in the country to establish characteristic collections of Southeast Asia. We work closely with major research projects and collect relevant research materials as special characteristics and we have set up a web page for Southeast Asia characteristics collection.
2. Foreign publication area: the library established an English Publication Area with Language Centre. In recent years due to the inclusion of multi-language publications, this Area changes into Foreign Publication Reading Area. The Language Center teachers main recommend novels, text books, picture books and comic books hoping that students can read books in a pleasant environment and improve language skills.
3. International books: For many characteristic collections, the teachers in the university frequently take part in international academic exchange activities. Our collections include Yingji Collections, Mineo Nakajima Collections, and books from American institutes in Taiwan, etc.