about the library

The library sadly parts from the late Mr. Younes Nazarian

Younes Nazarian, one of the leaders of the Iranian Jewish community in Los Angeles, was an extraordinary man with a generous heart and endless giving. The Nazarian couple are known for philanthropic activities for the community in a variety of fields such as the arts, health and higher education institutions in the United States and Israel.
A few years ago the Nazrians made a generous contribution for the renovation and expansion of our library and the establishment of a new wing. Thanks to their donation, the library is an inviting, bustling place for visitors. We had the great privilege of meeting Mr. Younes Nazarian during his visits to the library, always with a wide, warm, friendly smile. In June 2007, Mr. Nazarian received an honorary doctorate in philosophy during the conference of the University's Board of Trustees, for his contribution and commitment to the State of Israel and to Jews around the world. We send our sincere condolences to Soraya and the Nazarian family.

Of blessed memory!

סוראיה ויונס נזריאן טקס הנחת אבן פינה לאגף החדש

יונס נזריאן בסיור במהלך בניית האגף החדש יונס נזריאן בטקס חנוכת האגף החדש

Library Assessment

The Library Assessment Team has been operating since 2007, in order to evaluate the library's services and evaluate how users perceive them. The team conducts a variety of surveys, usability tests and focus groups, and monitors the implementation of the results.

Among the areas examined: the physical environment, identification of user needs, collections, interfaces to access content, and remote services.

Among the activities performed: In-Library Use Surveys, Wayfinding, Focus Groups, Satisfaction Surveys, Usability Studies, a Non-Users' Survey and an Organizational Climate Survey. Link to the "Library Assessment" entry in Wikipedia.

Reports

Library Survey 2020

Usability Report on the Primo New User Interface

Report of the 11th Northumbria International Conference on Performance Measurement in Libraries and Information Services, Edinburgh, Scotland

Library Use Survey 2015

Results of the 2014 Usability Report

Library Satisfaction Survey 2014

Usability Report 2013

10th Northumbria International Conference on Performance Measurement in Libraries and Information Services

LibQUAL 2013 Survey

Usability study on the library web site Feb. 2013 (report in Hebrew)

In Library Use survey Jun 2011 (in Hebrew)

Library Assessment Conference Oct 2010

Non Users Final Report May 2010 (in Hebrew)

Usability library website Jan. 2010 (in Hebrew)

Usability library website Jun. 2009 (in Hebrew)

Focus Groups on the Physical Aspects of the Library (prior to the renovation) by Lina Zilberberg 2009 (in Hebrew)

Report of 8th Northumbria International Conference on Performance Measurement in Libraries and Information Services, by Dr. Lynne Porat. Aug 2009

LibQUAL+® Lite Spring 2009 survey results

Wayfinding Study Aug.-Sep. 2008 (in Hebrew)

In-Library Use Survey Jul.2008 (in Hebrew)

Usability Library website June 2008 (in Hebrew)

Presentations

Primo New UI - Not Just for Undergrads: A usability study - presented at IGeLU 2018, Prague, Czech Republic. August 2018

Report on International Performance Measurement Conference 12.8.13

Using LibQUAL+ to meet strategic objectives at the University of Haifa - presented at LibQUAL+ Exchange Workshop, 10th Northumbria Conference on Performance Measurement, 22.7.13.

University of Haifa Library Assessment Activities - presented at Israeli Library Managers Forum meeting, January 2009

LibQUAL Lite in Hebrew - presented at 8th Northumbria International Conference on Performance Measurement, August 2009, Florence

Results of the 2008 LibQUAL survey - presented to University of Haifa Library Department Heads, September 2009

You said...We did

Library publications

Harvard University library seeks advice from our Library Assessment Team Library Assessment Team Dec.2015 (in Heb & Eng.)

3rd International Library Assessment Conference held in Baltimore. Dr. Lynne Porat Library Assessment Team Oct. 2010 (For pictures see the heb. edition)

LQ – Library Satisfaction Survey Results. Dr. Lynne Porat Library Assessment Team Mar. 2010

Results of In-Library Use Survey. Dr. Lynne Porat and Michal Gershtein, Library Assessment Team,Jan. 2009

The Library Assessment Team Dr. Lynne Porat , July 2009

In-library Use" Questionnaire. Michal Gershtein and Dr. Lynne Porat, Library Assessment Team, Sep.2009

Articles about library assessment

Beck, S. G. (1996). Wayfinding in libraries. Library Hi Tech, 14(1), 27-36.

Berger, K. W., & Hines, R. W. (1994). What does the user really want? The library user survey project at Duke University. The Journal of Academic Librarianship, 20(5-6), 306-309.

Brown, J. M. (2010). Informal assessment for library middle managers. Library Leadership and Management, 24(1), 18-22.

Cook, C. (2002). The maturation of assessment in academic libraries: The role of LibQUAL+. Performance Measurement and Metrics, 3(2), 40-42.

Cook, C., Heath, F., & Thompson, B. (2002). Score norms for improving library service quality: A LibQUAL+tm study. Portal. Libraries and the Academy, 2(1), 13-26.

Cook, C. & Maciel, M. (2010) A Decade of Assessment at a Research-Extensive University Library Using LibQUAL+® Research Library Issues: A Bimonthly Report from ARL, CNI and SPARC, 271, 4-12.

Eaton, G. (1991). Wayfinding in the library: Book searches and route uncertainty. RQ, 30(4), 519-527.

Glitz, B. (1997). The focus group technique in library research: An introduction. Bulletin of the medical library association, 85(4), 385.

Higa-Moore, M. L., Bunnett, B., Mayo, H. G., & Olney, C. A. (2002). Use of focus groups in a library's strategic planning process. Journal of the Medical Library Association, 90(1), 86.

Hiller, S. & Porat, L. (2011). Academic library as a place: Users and uses. In S. Graham Margaret & Thornton (Ed.), Proceedings of the 8th Northumbria international conference on performance measurement in libraries and information services (pp. 263-273). Newcastle upon Tyne, UK: Northumbria University Press.

Hiller, S. (2001). Assessing user needs, satisfaction, and library performance at the University of Washington ibraries. Library Trends, 49, 4.

Hiller, S. (2002). How different are they? A comparison by academic area of library use, priorities, and information needs at the University of Washington. Issues in Science and Technology Librarianship, 33.

Hiller, S., & Self, J. (2004). From measurement to management: Using data wisely for planning and decision-making. Library Trends, 53(1), 129-155. Horan, M. (1999).

Horan, M. (1999). What students see: Sketch maps as tools for assessing knowledge of libraries. The Journal of Academic Librarianship, 25(3), 187-201.

Kyrillidou, M. (2009). Item sampling in service quality assessment surveys to improve response rates and reduce respondent burden: The "LibQUAL+® Lite" randomized control trial (rct). Unpublished PhD., University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Leitao, B. J., & Verguerio, W. (2000). Using the focus group approach for evaluating customers' opinions: The experience of a Brazilian academic library. New Library world, 101, 60-65.

Porat, L. (2016). User feedback as a management tool in academic libraries: a review. Performance Measurement and Metrics, 17(3). 214-223

Porat, L. (2013). Marketing and Assessment in Academic Libraries: A Marriage of Convenience or True Love? Evidence Based Library and Information Practice, 8(2). 60-67.

Thompson, B., Cook, C., & Thompson, R. L. (2002). Reliability and structure of LibQUAL+ tm scores: Measuring perceived library service quality. portal: Libraries and the Academy, 2(1), 3-12.

Thompson, B., Kyrillidou, M., & Cook, C. (2009a). Equating scores on" lite" and long library user survey forms: The LibQUAL+ lite randomized control trials. Performance Measurement and Metrics, 10(3), 212-219.

Thompson, B., Kyrillidou, M., & Cook, C. (2009b). Item sampling in service quality assessment surveys to improve response rates and reduce respondent burden: The "LibQUAL+ up/up lite" example. Performance Measurement and Metrics, 10(1), 6-16.

Thompson, B., Kyrillidou, M., & Cook, C. (2010). Does using item sampling methods in library service quality assessment compromise data integrity or zone of tolerance interpretation? A LibQUAL+ֲ® Lite study, LibraryAssessment Conference: Building Effective, Sustainable, Practical Assessment. Baltimore MD. Baltimore, USA

International Conference

Team Members

Sorin Solomon, Library Information Systems and Head Assessment Team

Dr. Lynne Porat, Head, Interlibrary Loan Team

Sharon Shapira, Head of Technical Services Branch

Iris Igra, Head of Outreach and Library Web Sites

Iris Bitan-Toledano, Reference

Liat Shalel, Technical Services Branch

Michal Rubin, Digital Content and Special Collections Branch

Nir Zinger, Library Information Systems

Yair Even-Zohar, CRIS project manager

Library updates

Until further notice, the library Southern wing (new wing) will be open for remote teaching and learning/ The entrance to the library will be available near class 640 adjacent to the Hecht museum. At this stage, only university faculty can borrow books. Library access is available for book borrowing only, on Sundays through Thursdays between 8:00-16:00 in accordance with the local guidelines. During the Covid-19 crisis, it will not be possible to request books.

Rreference services will be available via: WhatsApp, Chat and E-mail until 4pm. All loaned items will be renewed until 17.5.20 and no items need to be returned to the library.

English articles will be supplied free of charge. Requests should be submitted via the Interlibrary Loan order form. Books cannot be borrowed from other libraries or sent to patrons' homes.

Click to access resources opened during Covid-19

We wish you a healthy and speedy return to regular activities.

Library activities

Library opening hours

Loan services

For inquiries regarding loans and orders, please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Printing at the library

The printers and photocopiers may be used independently. The photography service operates on Sundays-Thursdays from 08:00-15:00.

Reference services (search for materials)

Face-to-face assistance at the reference desk will be provided on the beginning of the academic year on Sundays-Thursdays between 10:00-18:00
Our WhatsApp service 054-3933090 will be provided on Sundays-Thursdays between 8:00-18:00 and on Fridays between 8:00-12:30
We are also be happy to assist by email and via Zoom by appointment.

Article or book chapter scanning service

We will be happy to assist you and scan articles and book chapters at no cost. For further information about the service and to open an order form click on the following link.

Home Delivery of Books

To order a book during the lockdown to be sent to your home, please fill in the following form.
The Home Delivery service costs 45 nis per shipment up to 10 kg.

The inter-library loan service

Were you unable to find the item you need in our library collection? We can find it in another library even during lockdown. The inter-library loan service allows students and faculty of the University of Haifa to order books, theses and scans from other libraries in the country and scans from libraries abroad free of charge. At this stage, it is not possible to borrow books from abroad. It is recommended to request Scans and not Book Loans. For additional information and to open an order form click on the following link

library shelves

Rare Books Collections

Items in the Rare Books & Special Collection in University of Haifa Library date from the medieval period to the present time, and cover a wide range of subject areas. Highlights include: Books on Judaica, Spinoza's book: Tractatus theologico-politicus with his handwritten remarks, Encyclopedie Ou Dictionnaire Raisonne des Sciences (Encyc. Diderot), Turkish collection - a large collection of "Salnameh" yearbooks of the Ottoman Empire, pages from the "Geniza". More details on items in the collection can be found in the Library
The mission of the Rare Books & Special Collection is to promote access to these resources by preserving them in a safe and secure environment, and to help researchers locate and use this rare and valuable material. The Rare Book Room is specially designed to ensure optimum security, lighting and atmospheric conditions. The materials may be used only under staff supervision. catalog.

Digital Rare Books Collection

A selection from the University of Haifa library's rare books collection. The collection includes books in various languages, including Hebrew, and in various fields.

Fragments of the Cairo Genizah

The library stores 23 fragmented manuscripts of the Cairo Genizah in 53 pages altogether. All the fragments were scanned in 1997 as part of the Friedberg Genizah Project's efforts to facilitate Genizah research. They are categorized in the library's catalogue and accessible in full text.

The University of Haifa Library got the Genizah fragments from the Pevzner public library of Haifa. Pevzner had stored for many years a collection of manuscripts and among them, the ones from the Genizah. This collection they had goes back to the years of the Society for Advanced Studies in Science's library ("HaAguda Le'Hishtalmut Bamada") - a society that was founded in 1919 by graduate students of the Herzliya Hebrew Gymnasium in Tel Aviv. The Society moved its bureau to Haifa four years later, together with its own library, and this collection of books and manuscripts turned to be the roots of the Pevzner public library. The Genizah fragments were donated by Mr. Benjamin Ben-Israel Berstein (also known as "Benjamin Ivri"), who immigrated to Palestine from Italy during the 1920s. According to pencil notes in Russian, written on nine of the fragments we have in the library, the assumption is that these manuscripts somehow arrived from Russia or where once in the hands of a researcher or librarian of a Russian ethnicity.

The content on the fragments is divided to several fields: Biblical texts, Haftarot, Targum Onkelos, Mishnah, segments of the Babylonian Talmud, prayers, the Passover Haggadah, Piyyut, Midrashim in Judeo-Arabic languages and dictionaries. The library started a preservation process of these fragments. As part of the process, tiny pieces from the manuscripts were sent to the Sorbonne University of Paris preservation lab for examination.

Usage Policy for Rare Book

Users must show an ID card, or any other document confirming their identity, that shall be hold by the librarian as long as the user stays in the Rare Books and Manuscripts area.
Upon entering the reading hall at the Rare Books and Manuscripts area, users should register and fill their details in a special form. Personal belongings have to be placed on one of the shelves in the cupboard at the entrance to the Rare Books and Manuscripts area.
Items from the Rare Books Collection cannot be borrowed, and any research of the books can be made only inside the room.
The use of any writing implement but pencils is restricted in this area.
Never mark any page in the rare books or write on a paper placed on top of a book.
All manuscripts in the room should be used with cautiousness by the researcher/student. Most of the material is old and unique. As such, it might be damaged easily.

Photocopy

Making photocopies of the rare manuscripts pages is acceptable under the following conditions:
The Rare Books and Manuscripts Section librarian is making the photocopies at the expanse of the user.
One cannot make photocopies of more than 10 pages in one session (the heat from the photocopy machine creates a chemical reaction that damages the papers). In certain conditions, due to deteriorated state of a rare book, a photocopy of its pages is not applicable.
We will all be grateful if a user turn the attention of a librarian to any damaged material, so that we can work on fixing it.

Frequently Asked Questions

How should I store my books?

The ideal temperature for storing books and documents is between 16 - 18 c and 45% - 55% relative humidity (RH. Store books out of direct sunlight and where air can circulate freely. Use archival boxes (acid free) made to fit and protect valuable or damaged books. Store books on flat, smooth shelves. Stand books vertically close together and if possible by size. Use bookends to prevent books collapsing.

Pest in my book - what should I do?

The presence of silverfish and psocids (booklice) often indicates a humidity problem in a storage area. If pest are noted, the first step should be to inspect collections to determine whether the problem is widespread or isolated. First address the problem by reducing the temperature and humidity in the room.Isolate the affected books by placing them in a tightly sealed plastic bag. If the problem is widespread seek assistance from a pest control company. Fumigation must be performed by professionals under controlled conditions. Keep the environment clean and dusted, and don't store books near food or rubbish, etc.

Old leather books - should I use leather dressing on them?

Research and experience have shown that leather dressings can have some undesirable side effects. Damaging, disfiguring effects can include discoloration, staining, and stickiness of the leather. If you want to use a leather dressing try to avoid those containing a solvent. For protective handling purposes dust jackets can be made to help prevent dry rotted leather from offsetting onto adjacent books and from further deterioration.

{sliderHow should I store my newspapers? }

Newspapers are made from low quality wood fiber pulp, which is easily deteriorated, especially when exposed to light. The deterioration can be slowed down by correct storage (right temperature, humidity and out of light). Newspapers should be put in acid-free boxes for protection.

How should I store my photographs?

Paper leaves that are stuck together - what can I do?

When coated paper gets wet and then begins to dry, the coating on facing pages sticks together. Once this occurs, it generally cannot be reversed. Freezing within about 6 hours, followed by vacuum freeze drying, can be successful in saving this type of material (should be done by a commercial service). If the pages are only partially stuck together, you can try gently to separate the pages. There will be some loss in areas where the pages were stuck.

How can I remove the musty smell from old books?

A musty smell is most often noted in books that have been exposed to high relative humidity and may have been moldy or mildewed in the past. There are several strategies that may be successful: An odor-absorbing material should be placed in the bottom of the larger can and the book should be placed in a smaller can, that will be placed in the larger can. Materials that absorb odors include baking soda, charcoal briquettes (without lighter fluid), kitty litter, and Zeolites. Use of paper containing Zeolite molecular traps. Known as MicroChamber products. One should place a sheet between the front board and every 100 pages throughout the book.

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