The Elyachar Central Library is the central body in the Technion library system. As such, it has a dual role: to provide an infrastructure for all the Technion libraries and to provide various services to its patrons. The Central Library determines policies and guidelines for all the Technion libraries. The library's building is located in the heart of the Nave-Shaanan Campus in Haifa. Funding for the building was contributed by Colonel Jehiel Elyachar and the library is named after him.
Background
When the Technion was founded in 1924, in Hadar HaCarmel in Haifa, a library was established; it maintained the collections of all the different disciplines studied and researched in the Technion. In the 1950s and 1960s, the majority of the faculties moved from the historic campus to the new campus in the Nave-Shaanan neighborhood. Small research libraries were set up in the new faculty buildings. The original library, which became the central library, continued its acquisition, cataloging, classification and document supply activities for itself and for all the research libraries. In 1965 the present library building was constructed on the new campus. The library was named in honor of Colonel Jehiel Elyachar, who funded the project.The History and Development of the Technion Library System , at the Technion Libraries' web portal. Retrieved 27 August 2016 Elyachar donated additional funds for an expansion in 1969The Technion Libraries, Beyt ha-Technion, Haifa, The Technion – Israel Institute of Technology, 1969 and for renovations in 1982.Alpert Carl, Technion: the story of Israel's Institute of Technology, Volume 2, New York, American Technion Society, 2001, p.222
The building was designed by Arieh Sharon and Benjamin Edelson in the Brutalist architectural style.Elyachar Central Library, at the Emporis website. Retrieved 27 August 2016 There are reading halls on three floors and a basement for storage. The reading halls include several study areas and books that are in high demand and used often including textbooks, reference books and literature. The basement archives historical collections and materials that are significant for research. This floor also houses books that are infrequently used, historical journals and the Technion theses collection. The floor includes a special climate controlled room that preserves rare, ancient and precious books. In addition, several historical collections from the second half of The 20th Century, such as a collection of research reports written in the Technion, a collection of study and exercise books produced by the Technion Student Association, a collection of Technion publications, the historical collections of the Technion Construction Department and the Technion Orchestra archive, can be found on this floor. In the library lobby is a gallery that displays temporary artistic exhibits on Technion related subjects. In the future a cafeteria will be opened in the lobby. According to library data, approximately 2000 patrons visit the library daily.
The Central Library serves as an institutional repository for all PhD, MSc and MD theses written in the Technion. Theses written from 2006 through 2015 were deposited in both electronic and print formats and from 2016 only in electronic format. The full text of the theses is available on the Technion's internal network and in the future will be freely available on the internet as well.
The library committee is a formal body appointed by the Technion Senate. Its role is to discuss and advise the Technion administration on the libraries' development policies, their budgets and personnel. The members of the committee are the Senior Executive Vice President, three professors and the Director of the Central Library.
Central Library Directors 2019 onward: Moti Yeger 2008–2018: Dalia Dolev 1979–2008: Dr. Nurit Rothberg 1974–1979: Ralf Simon 1973–1974: Aaron Kutin (as substitute) 1971–1972: Abraham Leiboviz 1970–1971: Aaron Kutin (as substitute) 1955–1970: Dr. Tunia Goldstein 1927–1954: Dr. Rivkah Feiner
Areas of Activity The Central Library makes policies and provides services for all Technion libraries in the following four fields:
Information Technology This field is responsible for the information systems and technological infrastructure used by all Technion libraries.
The Libraries' web portal – In March 2015 the libraries' web portal was launched to form a unified platform for all the Technion libraries. It includes information about the libraries and provides access to the libraries' information resources. The platform was designed according to the Technion's brand guidelinesThe Technion Brand Book, The Technion Marketing Unit, Haifa, The Technion – Israel Institute of Technology, 2014, at the Technion's website. Retrieved 28 August 2016 and it conforms with web accessibility regulations. In 2016, an intranet portal was launched for use by the libraries' Information Specialists personnel. Aleph – The Aleph software, developed by Ex Libris Group, has been used by the Technion libraries since 1984 as the main system for the library operations, including circulation, Interlibrary loans, acquisition and budgets, and cataloging and classification. The software was modified to fulfil library needs so that it can provide detailed statistical reports, capture and integrate new collections automatically and assist with digitization. Additional adjustments have been made to provide compatibility with the SAP platform in use by the Technion. In 2017 the library is expected to switch from Aleph software to Ex Libris's Alma, a modern cloud-based Integrated library system. Discovery tools – In 2014 VuFind, the open source Google-like discovery tool, which was developed at Villanova University, was put into operation. The tool has been adapted to fulfill the specific needs of the Technion and meets the Technion brand criteria. It is called EasyFind (EZFind) in the Technion.Introducing EzFind- a user-friendly, advanced system for information search and retrievall , at the Technion Libraries' web portal. Retrieved 27 August 2016 In 2015 EDS (EBSCO Discovery System) of EBSCO was added to the library operating systems. This discovery tool has been integrated into EZFind and is used for searching scientific papers and other scientific materials. EasyLink (EZLink) – this product has been developed to provide access options to the library's electronic information resources and to enable scientific journal fulltext access. The product is based on the Ex Libris's SFX software. The product operates from the library's catalog, the databases to which the library is subscribed, citing tools, and even from Google Scholar. EasyLibrary (EZLibrary) – this product has been developed to provide access to the library's electronic information resources from outside the campus through digital authentication in the library systems. The product is based on the OCLC's EZproxy software. The product was launched in 2012 and was adjusted in 2015 to allow integration to the Technion libraries' web portal.Off Campus Access (Out of Technion) , at the Technion Libraries' web portal. Retrieved 27 August 2016 LIBstick – a service for book label editing and printing. It is based on SaaS, accessible via web browsers and was released in June 2019. It was presented in the annual IGeLU 2019 conference in Singapore in August 2019, and received great feedback.
Additional Services and developments: access to library services via the Technion's mobile app. the BookMe system for the reservation of study spaces in the Technion libraries and in other zones in the campus.BookMe System , at the Technion Libraries' web portal. Retrieved 27 August 2016 digitization projects of Technion publications – In 2014 PhD theses which had been deposited in print only were digitized.
Patron Services This field is responsible for all services provided to patrons visiting the Technion libraries:
Circulation Department – The library lends books as well as laptops, earphones, cellphone chargers and calculators for daily use. The department is responsible for maintaining and updating the list of patrons. In 2016 a new service was introduced, allowing patrons to borrow materials in one Technion library and to return loaned items in any of the Technion libraries. Interlibrary Loan Department – The department circulates Technion resources to external bodies such as higher education institutions, hospitals and industrial companies in Israel and throughout the world. It also locates and provides information resources for patrons from sources outside the Technion collection. The library and the Younes and Soraya Nazarian Library at Haifa University, have agreed to provide information resources to one another free of charge, when later many libraries in Israel stroke a deal to provide interlibrary loans free of charge Interlibrary Loan Services, at the Technion Libraries' web portal. Retrieved 13 June 2020 Reference Department – This department provides instruction and training in the use of library resources and gives reference guidance to patrons.Reference & Instruction, at the Technion Libraries' web ports. Retrieved 13 June 2020Reference & Instruction , at the Technion Libraries' web ports. Retrieved 27 August 2016 Its operation includes: the provision of group or individual instruction sessions for students, faculty members, laboratory technicians and Technion employees on the library’s databases, discovery tools and information management tools. studying databases and information management tools (such as citation tools, information evaluation tools and bibliographic management tools) and suggesting the implementation of new, relevant ones. updating of the library's web portal and managing the library's social networks. initiating and organizing professional seminars. cooperating with the IT Department to implement new information systems, with the Acquisition Department regarding book collection development, and with other Technion units. other projects, such as the addition of QR codes on printed textbooks to direct to their electronic versions.
Management of Collections and Processes This field is responsible for collection development and its access.
Library acquisitions Department – The department is responsible for collection development through the acquisition of online databases and electronic and printed journals and books. A large part of the acquisitions is made through the Inter-University Center for Digital Information Services (MALMAD) of the Inter-University Computation Center (IUCC). The department also purchases journal archives with perpetual access and e-book packages with either perpetual access or with an annual subscription, as part of the demand-driven acquisition model. Cataloging and Classification Department – The department catalogs and classifies all the resources that are purchased or donated, theses submitted in the library and other Technion publications. As of July 2014 materials are cataloged according to the Resource Description and Access (RDA) guidelines, in concordance with the transition of all higher education institutions in Israel from the Anglo-American Cataloguing Rules (AACR2) to RDA. The classification system used is Universal Decimal Classification (UDC). The Faculty of Medicine Library uses Medical Subject Headings (MeSH), a classification system used in the life sciences field.
Additional responsibilities: