Biblioteka / Library

The LibOCS project (EU ERASMUS+) is a pioneering initiative designed to fortify the relationship between libraries, universities, and society through the implementation of the BESPOC model at five Baltic universities. This model is an innovative platform, nurturing interaction and enabling a cohesive framework for citizen science. Our presentation unveils the nuanced experiences and best practices gleaned from creating a central support service for citizen science projects, drawing from the diverse case studies of the participating universities: Tartu University (Estonia), TalTech (Estonia), Kaunas University of Technology (Lithuania), Vytautas Magnus University (Lithuania), and the University of Latvia. The BESPOC model stands out for its originality, offering a novel approach to citizen science by encapsulating nine strategic modules. These modules collectively enhance the operational and strategic integration of citizen science activities within academic libraries, thereby positioning them as central actors in the knowledge exchange between academia and the public. The emphasis on libraries spotlights their potential as trusted knowledge hubs and champions their role in community engagement and educational outreach. Our presentation outlines the specific requirements, challenges, and opportunities encountered by research libraries in the Baltic region when deploying the BESPOC model. Each university's journey—characterized by unique institutional culture and societal context—offers insights into the adaptable nature of BESPOC. We share the approaches adopted by these five Baltic universities for policy development, project management, and community building, as well as the practical solutions to challenges such as legal compliance, safety, and specific communication. Furthermore, the presentation showcases the impact of BESPOC on the libraries' roles within their universities, including their increased capacity to contribute more significantly to citizen science and open science. This paper reflects on the progress made in citizen science at the five Baltic research libraries and ignites a conversation about the future of these collaborations. The LibOCS project, through the BESPOC model, represents a considerable advancement in the practical application of Citizen Science in Europe, offering a scalable template for other research libraries. The project's relevance is underscored by its potential to produce systemic change, promoting the proactive adoption of citizen science. The experiences from the Baltic universities serve as persuasive case studies, underscoring the critical importance and advantages of robust citizen science support services within academic libraries. In addition to the BESPOC implementation process, we will also introduce other LibOCS findings: Drivers and Barriers of Civic Engagement in Open Science and The Role of University Libraries in The Baltics, The Transformative Role Of University Libraries And Other Memory Institutions For Citizen Science And Open Science In The Baltics, and an Open Access Collection of Resources On Citizen Science For Libraries. Our proposal is designed to captivate the audience's interest, engage stakeholders, and inspire other institutions. The implications of our work extend far beyond the immediate academic setting, promising a far-reaching impact on how research libraries can serve as facilitators of science-society engagement, especially in our difficult times of disinformation, manipulation, and anti-democratic discourse.

The objectives pursued through the Vytautas Magnus University Research Management System (VDU CRIS) are: Enhancing Global Visibility: Amplifying the visibility of research outputs, activities, and researchers on a global scale. Ensuring Preservation: Accumulating and safeguarding the long-term preservation of research outputs and performance results from VDU. Increasing Accessibility: Expanding the availability and access to research outputs via open access channels. Optimizing Administration: Streamlining the management and administration of research activities.

The current article brings to the fore key results of the implementation of citizen science (CS) practices at universities and their libraries by focusing on five Baltic universities. It observes the improvement of skills and knowledge in the participating organisations. It examines the need and readiness for the institutional change necessary for implementing CS practices in the Baltics and the ways the participating organisations have improved in the field of CS during the LibOCS project (University libraries strengthening the academiasociety connection through citizen science in the Baltics, 2022–2024). The study aims to determine to what extent the framework of the current project and the implementation of the BESPOC model (Broad Engagement in Science, Point of Contact) included in the project could act as a blueprint for other organisations wanting to implement institutional and policy changes to advance in the field of CS. These kinds of hubs or knowledge centres have already been established in some Central and Western European countries and it is necessary to create that kind of support system in the Baltic universities. The article is based on the interviews, surveys, and workshops held on the topics of CS advocacy and implementation of the BESPOC model at Baltic universities led by five university libraries (referred to here as LibOCS HEIs): Tallinn University of Technology (TalTech), University of Tartu (UT), University of Latvia (UL), Kaunas University of Technology (KTU), and Vytautas Magnus University (VMU). The article introduces the core aspects of the LibOCS project, describes the starting point of the participating organisations, and librarians, their level of knowledge about CS and its practices, and proceeds with the changes that took place during the five major project stages and their outputs. The article presents the knowledge growth of the participants, the tools and training materials created for librarians, the practical consultations and workshops that led to the implementation process of the BESPOC model. The more knowledgeable the librarians are, the easier it is to implement CS-related services and establish a central hub. As a result of the project, a positive shift towards the openness to CS activities and its support systems has been identified within participating libraries, and some elements of a single point of contact model are already in development. However, to fully adopt that approach, universities have to include CS in their strategies and allocate resources, entrusting the leader of the process with the work of creating a CS hub.

Leidinyje pateiktos rašytinės žinios apie mokslinio agronomo, dirvožemininko, habilituoto daktaro, Vytauto Didžiojo universiteto Žemės ūkio akademijos (Lietuvos žemės ūkio akademijos, Lietuvos žemės ūkio universiteto) Agronomijos fakulteto profesoriaus emerito, Lietuvos mokslų akademijos Žemės ūkio ir miškų mokslų skyriaus akademiko emerito Algirdo Juozo Motuzo gyvenimą ir veiklą – jo publikacijų ir publikacijų apie jį bibliografiniai duomenys. Visą kūrybinį gyvenimą dirbęs pedagogu aukštojoje mokykloje, akademikas buvo ir yra aktyvus mokslininkas bei publicistas. 1964–2022 m. parašė vienas ir sudarė 63 knygas ir brošiūras, tarp jų – 12 monografijų ir bibliografijų, 5 vadovėliai ir žodynėliai. Pagal vyraujančią tematiką knygos ir brošiūros pasiskirstę taip: dirvožemio mokslų – 31, agrarinių mokslų istoriografijos – 19. Bibliotekose saugoma 18 mokslo darbų ataskaitų. Akademikas paskelbė 824 straipsnius, tarp jų – 302 enciklopedinius. Lietuvių, anglų ir rusų kalbomis parašytose disertacijose, jų santraukose, straipsniuose nagrinėjo dirvožemio ekologijos klausimus ir agronomijos mokslų pirmtakų Lietuvoje darbus. Akademiko veiklos, darbų viešasis vertinimas (knygų ir brošiūrų recenzijos, atsiliepimai apie paskaitas, pasisakymus ir kt.) publikuotas 196 straipsniuose. Iš viso leidinyje pateiktas 1101 bibliografinis aprašas. Šiuo leidiniu siekiama prisidėti minint akademiko emerito A. J. Motuzo 80-metį.

This report is an outcome of the LibOCS Project, falling under PR5 (Project Result 5), for which Immer Besser GmbH holds responsibility. The blend of our methodology ensured that the report is not just informative but actionable, laying the groundwork for future endeavours in establishing a central support service for Citizen Science at universities.

Our approach aimed to provide a comprehensive overview of the potential for adoption of a Citizen Science (CS) single point of contact at universities (BESPOC) while also exploring existing research management flows, public engagement activities at participant universities (LibOCS HEIs, Higher Education Institutions), and connectors between university’s services, based on the BESPOC model.