Progress Update 2016 - Stony Brook University Library Strategic Design 2015 - 2018, Global Library Initiatives

The mission of the Stony Brook University Libraries’ Global Initiatives is to strengthen international ties among libraries and librarians worldwide for the promotion of international education, understanding, and peace. We strive to promote student and faculty achievement and preparation for global competitiveness in collaboration with Stony Brook University academic and clinical centers abroad. 

In support of the Stony Brook University’s global mission, the University Libraries designed a suite of services and expertise to facilitate and strengthen the work of SBU faculty and students abroad. The Office of Global Library Initiatives provides leadership, creativity, and vision in enhancing and developing the Library’s critical role in the success of SBU faculty and students.

Promote Academic Engagement

Increase the participation of Library faculty as partners in teaching and research, applying library and information science principles to address global challenges.

• The Office of Global Library Initiatives initiates and facilitates relationships with other research libraries and information centers abroad to allow SBU researchers and students access to research material during extended stays in other countries

  • Maintained relationships with SUNY Korea, Shanghai Normal University, Shandong University, Capital Normal University, Capital Medical University to allow Stony Brook University faculty and students access to research material. 

• Develop relationships with research library staff of international libraries to provide orientation and research support for SBU faculty and students;

  • The preparation is underway to establish formal relationships with Shandong University, Jinan, China and Shanghai Normal University, Shanghai, China to provide research support for SBU researchers and students.

• Cultivate information exchange and visiting/exchange scholars program;
  • Hosted visiting scholar Dr. Long Zhao, Ancient Documents Librarian from Shanghai Normal University Library in June 2015. 
• Develop relationships with research libraries that support the global mission of SBU and initiates sustaining international collaborations;

  • The preparation is underway to develop formal relationships with Shandong University and Shanghai Normal University for international collaborations.

• Work closely with academic and clinical departments and the office of International Academic Programs and Services to identify international initiatives, programs, and activities in order to focus the Library’s efforts to the areas that are most critical to SBU success.
  • Worked closely with the Global Medical Education of Stony Brook Medicine in recommending Tongji University School of Medicine in Shanghai, China for developing formal affiliation agreement so that SBU students can gain first-hand cultural/language immersion experience at an international site. 

  • Worked closely with the Global Health Institute planning for holding Internet-based information resources workshops for Health/Science Professionals in Madagascar. 

Build, Preserve, and Provide Access to Rich and Diverse Collections

Broaden global availability of scholarly information through support for open access initiatives, new modes of publishing, and high-quality networked information resources for SBU faculty and students and the broader global community.

• Develop public domain digital resources relevant to global initiative and programs and establish information centers with digital library presence in countries where SBU has clinical and academic centers;

  • A number of libguides were created by various subject librarians for helping SBU faculty and students to gain access to high-quality networked information. 

• Design a suite of services and expertise to facilitate and strengthen the work of SBU faculty and students abroad;
• Examples of such services and expertise are/but not limited to 
  • Developing electronic and public domain digital resources relevant to the programs that enhance digital library presence. 

Develop Responsive Library Spaces for Diverse User Communities

Contribute to international information literacy, learning spaces, and scholarly communications strategies.

• Facilitate relationships with other research libraries and information centers to allow SBU researchers and students access to research material during extended stays in other countries;
  • Developed relationships with SUNY Korea, Shanghai Normal University, Shandong University, Capital Normal University, Capital Medical University to allow Stony Brook faculty and students access to research material. 
• Establish information centers with digital library presence in countries where SBU has clinical centers.

  • Started providing email reference service and Ask-A-Librarian chat service to faculty and staff at the research facility Centre ValBio in Madagascar. 

Foster an Innovative Culture of Learning and Assessment

Contribute to the Libraries’ ability to meet the research and learning needs of the University by supporting campus-wide global initiatives.

• Collaborate with universities and libraries abroad to host visiting scholars;

  • Preparation for signing formal cooperation agreements with Shandong University and Shanghai Normal University is underway.

• Host lecture series with visiting scholars and SBU faculty that inspire learning, research and scholarly inquiry in an environment dedicated to the open exchange of ideas and information with the Stony Brook University regional and global communities.

  • Organized the 2nd lecture in the Lecture Series of the Office of Global Library Initiatives titled “Ancient Documents Services at the Shanghai Normal University Library” given by Dr. Long Zhao, a visiting scholar at Stony Brook University Libraries, on Thursday, June 18, 2015.

  • Dr. Lenny Rhine presented the 3^rd lecture in the Lecture Series of the Office of Global Library Initiatives titled “Health information training in low-income countries: Benefits, complications, and observations.,” held on Tuesday, January 26, 2016 in Special Collections Seminar Room. The lecture was jointly sponsored by the Office of Global Library Initiatives at Stony Brook University Libraries and the Global Health Institute of Stony Brook University.

  • The Coordinator of the Office of Global Library Initiatives presented a lecture in the Confucius Institute Cultural Lecture Series titled "Chinese Acupuncture: Diagnosis and Treatment," which was open to the public.