E-learning in the activities of Polish public libraries

Abstract

The article characterizes the specificity of public library activities and their role in education. The possibilities of using e-learning in the education process were also presented, with particular emphasis on public education. Attention was also paid to the growing importance and interest in this type of education. The paper discusses the possibilities of using e-learning in teaching, with particular emphasis on education conducted as part of the activities of public libraries. The article presents the offer of e-learning courses mainly in provincial and pedagogical libraries. The purpose of the analysis was to verify the scope of e-learning use by libraries, check the availability of training offered and the ease of finding them on library websites. The number of courses offered and their topics were also examined. Moreover, it was taken into account to whom the prepared courses were addressed. The paper presents the current state, possibilities for further development and suggestions of the authors, which are based on the growing technological possibilities, with more common access to the Internet. Research shows that the use of e-learning platforms by provincial public and pedagogical libraries is unfortunately not common. This situation may be dictated by the lack of funds to prepare such projects. This limitation should, however, lose its significance due to the decreasing costs of platform implementation as well as the increasing funds supporting library activities. In addition, the pressure of potential users can motivate the development of e-learning platforms in libraries.