Outstanding commitment to the region's schools

Around 1,000 schoolchildren visit the University Library (UB) every year for an introduction to library use. The junior university staff are trained by the librarians of the Teaching Library team in how to search for scientific publications and other information.

The W seminars of the grammar schools in the region of north-eastern Upper Franconia and north-western Upper Palatinate form the majority. However, classes from vocational schools also take advantage of the opportunity to be supported in their search for scientific literature. For this purpose, the UB offers a differentiated range of courses from which teachers can choose the appropriate event model - adapted to the needs and knowledge level of their class or seminar.

Ten UB employees teach skills and strategies for identifying and processing relevant, scientifically valid information and literature in the flood of information of the digital age, and help with orientation in the libraries. In addition, the UB offers an advanced training course for teachers twice a year, which provides knowledge on how to optimally prepare and follow up the visit of their W-seminar to the UB and support their students in literature research.

Due to the pandemic, no W seminars and classes can be supervised in the Central Library since March 2020. The course concept has been completely changed to blended learning: The students first complete an online course on the e-learning platform of the University of Bayreuth to learn the basics of library use and research with interactive content. Afterwards, the librarians "visit" them virtually in the classroom, the school's computer room – depending on the IT equipment on site – or, as has already happened once, at home in quarantine. There, content is then practised and deepened and questions answered.

This commitment was once again honoured by the Bavarian State Ministries of Science and Art and Education and Cultural Affairs: For the second time, the UB was awarded the seal of quality "Libraries – Partners of Schools". It is awarded every two years for exemplary cooperation between libraries and schools. This time, 76 Bavarian libraries were honoured, eleven of them academic libraries, of which the UB is one. Bayreuth City Library also received an award in the category of municipal libraries. Minister of State Piazolo pointed out the important role of libraries: "Together, schools and libraries make Bavarian pupils fit for the future and teach key qualifications for lifelong learning."