E‐learning model for Polish libraries: BIBWEB

This article aims to describe the important role of e‐learning in Poland and to cover experiences in transferring and localising the course, know‐how about how to find strategic partners and establishing a sound infrastructure for e‐learning, and guidelines as to how to get and use feedback from learners to continuously improve the quality of the course.

The article describes the situation in the Polish library world and the process of implementation and conducting the BIBWEB online course for librarians. It also relates to how the course improves information literacy.

Libraries in Poland can considerably strengthen their role as an element of the information and knowledge society by expanding their offers regarding internet access and e‐learning. The situation in Germany in 1999 was comparable with the current situation in Poland. As a reaction to this, the Bertelsmann Foundation initiated an online course offer comprising three modules: “BIBWEB – internet training for libraries” (see www.bibweb.de), which met with great acceptance in Germany. For this reason, it made sense to translate the existing successful course product and adapt it to the special requirements of libraries in Poland. The Bertelsmann Foundation and its two project partners, the Warsaw University Library and the “Elektroniczna Biblioteka” (EBIB) library information service, have jointly developed such a Polish‐language online course (see www.bibweb.pl) and have offered it on the internet to the specialist target group since 2003.

This paper shows the benefits of an international educational project. Polish experiences concerning e‐learning may be useful for other nations.