PurposeThe aim of this paper is to ask why the libraries and the computer and media centres of German universities are picking up too little to improve the conditions for learning, teaching and research.Design/methodology/approachWith the founding of the Information, Communication and Media Center/Informations‐, Kommunikations‐ und Medienzentrums (ICMC/IKMZ), the central services of the Brandenburg Technical University of Cottbus (BTU Cottbus) library, computer center, multimedia center and administrative data processing were combined on a common management level, and the prerequisites for the development of integrated information management were created.FindingsOn this basis the following goal was set: the realization of more efficient organizational structures for a broad spectrum of customer‐ and service‐oriented information, communications and media (ICM) offers for research, teaching and administration.Originality/valueThe paper gives an overview of German discussion on the convergence of services, and presents the ICMC/IKMZ of Cottbus University as an example of a converged institution.
Access to this document was granted through an Emerald subscription provided by emerald-srm:300523 [] For AuthorsIf you would like to write for this, or any other Emerald publication, then please use our Emerald for Authors service information about how to choose which publication to write for and submission guidelines are available for all. Please visit www.emeraldinsight.com/authors for more information. About Emerald www.emeraldinsight.comEmerald is a global publisher linking research and practice to the benefit of society. The company manages a portfolio of more than 290 journals and over 2,350 books and book series volumes, as well as providing an extensive range of online products and additional customer resources and services.Emerald is both COUNTER 4 and TRANSFER compliant. The organization is a partner of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and also works with Portico and the LOCKSS initiative for digital archive preservation.*Related content and download information correct at time of download. Design/methodology/approach -The article describes how several German universities are setting up an integrated information management system to improve cooperation between institutions that provide academic support in the areas of information, communication and media services. Findings -The largely traditional support structures of German universities are in transition. The problems and challenges posed by information management and service integration, which Anglo-American universities introduced during the mid-1980s, are now a key issue at German universities and are being tackled with ever-greater energy. Originality/value -This article gives an overview of the current state of information management at German universities.Keywords Information management, Integration, Universities, Germany, LibrariesPaper type Research paper IntroductionThe article describes how several German universities are setting up an integrated information management system to improve cooperation between institutions that provide academic support in the areas of information, communication and media services. At a conference held in Tübingen in autumn 1991, German institutions working in the field of information infrastructure (libraries and computer centres and subsequently media centres) combined forces for the first time to discuss ways of improving information supply services for researchers and students at universities. In those days the concept of information management was not a central issue. The main concern at the time was to define tasks, delimit responsibilities and perhaps to discuss the question of service quality. Other conferences followed, resulting in the founding of the Deutsche Initiative für Netzwerkinformation (DINI)/German Initiative for Network Information in the year 2000.
The ICMC/IKMZ-Building was designed by the Swiss architects Herzog & de Meuron and finished, after a three year construction phase, in November 2004; it is a 32 meter high reinforced concrete construction covered by a doubleshell, glass facade embossed with stylized graffiti. The ground plan of the building has a curved outline resembling a clover leaf which does not explicitly have front and back sides. The amazing external architecture continues internally with a spiral staircase extending from the 1st to the 6th floor, and a striking colour scheme (in vibrant yellow, green, magenta, red, and blue) for parts of the floor covering and walls. In addition a further characteristic of the building is that within the ground plan none of the floor plans are the same. With the exception of the management and business areas (7 th floor) and the technical and pool areas (1 st and 2 nd underground level) there are only a few truly separate areas. This allows a flexible and open concept for the use of the building which consciously allows for many work and communication forms for single users or user groups. The work and reading areas are in coves related to each of the floors, while the open access stacks of the library -floor related -arranged according to subject areas are located in the core of the building. THE MISSION OF THE ICMC/IKMZDesktop and internet, notebook and wireless methods, e-mail and WAP cell phones (mobile phones) have clearly altered research, teaching and study. Computer-based working has led to new forms for the production, transmission, use, and handling of data and content. In contrast to many prognoses the new (digital) media have not, at least so far, replaced the traditional (printed) forms of media. Rather, the digital and printed information carriers complement one another, as do their strongly interacting dynamic and static contents. The availability and use of data, information and content take place via a variety of working platforms, carrier systems and access channels -integration, convergence and networking are the keywords of this development: modern forms of supplying information and media require integrated services.With this development the suppliers of information and media in the universities are presented with new tasks. Concretely affected are the infrastructure areas of library, multimedia center, computing center and administrative data processing. For the Information, Communication and Media Center/Informations-, Kommunikations-und Medienzentrum (ICMC/IKMZ) of the Brandenburg Technical University Cottbus (Germany) the challenges resulting from this development were treated consistently. Integrated services will be developed and constructed stepwise so as to stay abreast of new users and their requirements. This applies to the new building of the ICMC/IKMZ, which is available to researchers, teachers and students of the university and also to residents of the city and the region's work and multimedia environments. This includes digital information and communication med...
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