2022 was a year full of twists and turns.
Fortunately,
the LRC and UICers made it through together,
through thick and thin.
With the cold winter over
and the warm spring upon us,
Let us recollect the growth of the LRC in 2022...
LRC Days Opened During the Year
In 2022, the LRC was open for 307 days which acounted for 84% of the days in the year. During the semesters, the LRC was open from 8:30 am to 11:00 pm daily, 14.5 hours a day. Rain or shine, the total opening hours of the LRC in 2022 was 3,923 hours.
Entry Data: 792,118 Visits
In 2022, the number of visits to the LRC reached a record high of nearly 800,000 visits, with an average of 3,325 visits per day, and the average length of each visit was 2 hours, 21 minutes, and 47 seconds. From these data, it is evident that visiting the LRC was an indispensible part of the daily routine of UICers.
The student who spent the longest time in the LRC was YU, a fourth-year student from Accounting, with a total of 2,175 hours. YU spent an average of 7 hours a day studying diligently in the LRC. So, if any UICer was looking for YU, you cannot go wrong coming to the LRC.
In 2022, the Learning Resource Centre's collection continued to grow. In particular, the LRC began using Alma, a new generation of library management system, and Primo VE, a one-stop academic search engine. These applications increased convenience for UICers by making the access to scholarly resources more efficient.
Over 580,000 books, including 340,000 foreign language books and 240,000 Chinese language books
A total of 117 databases, including 101 foreign language databases and 16 Chinese language databases
The Alma platform is a next-generation library mangagement system. Many top university libraries in China and abroad are using the Alma platform, including the libraries of Cambridge University, Harvard University, Hong Kong Baptist University, Tsinghua University, and Beijing Normal University.
In September 2022, the LRC upgraded its search tool to Primo VE, the world's most advanced library resource discovery system. Many well-known university libraries in the world are also using Primo VE, including the libraries of Hong Kong Baptist University and Beijing Normal University. Users can simultaneously search the library's print and electronic resources through Primo VE, which has improved the efficiency of resource searching.
In 2022, UICers borrowed a total of 31,496 books.
01 UICers Borrowed an Average of 3.2 Books
Male-Female Average Loan Comparison
Male: 2.5 books Female: 3.6 books
The difference in the number of books borrowed per male and female UICer in 2022 was the same as that in 2021 (a difference of 1.1 books). In terms of the amount of books read, female UICers still maintained a lead of one book.
02 Loan Data by User Type
UIC teachers set good examples in their love of reading, topping the charts with 10,248 books borrowed, working as role models for all students to follow. First-year students came in second with 6,344 books borrowed, demonstrating their strong thirst for knowledge.
03 Top 3 Programmes with the Highest Number of Loans within each Faculty/School
English Language and Literature Studies
1,145 volumes
Media and Communication Studies
Public Relations and Advertising
Culture Creativity and Management
04 Book Subject Popularity Ranking
Percentage of Chinese Books Borrowed by Subject
Percentage of Foreign Language Books Borrowed by Subject
The top three most popular foreign language book categories borrowed by UICers remained the same as previous years, and the most popular Chinese book categories borrowed were slightly different from 2021, with philosophy and religion books jumped from 3rd place to 2nd place. It seemed that the difficulties in 2022 caused many UICers to turn to philosophy and religion. We hoped our resources were able to help some UICers find the answers they were seeking.
Top 10 Chinese Language Books
Top 10 Foreign Language Books
The LRC's group study rooms were used for a total of 31,530 hours.
The most popular room was 01-A with a total usage of 2,241 hours and a daily average of 7.3 hours.
UICers' Favorite Group Study Room 01-A
The fourth-year students spent the most time in the group study rooms (8,422 hours), followed by the third-year students (8,184 hours). This suggests that the LRC's group study rooms are especially important resource for senior students to carry out group discussions and group projects.
6 p.m. to 11 p.m. was the most popular time slot for group study room bookings, with an occupancy rate of 94.6%.
01 Search Tool Usage Data
Between January and August 2022, UICers accessed OPAC (the old catalog) 72,262 times and performed 66,643 searches. In the same interval, UICers accessed Summon (the old discovery system) 105,992 times and performed 269,897 searches.
Between September and December 2022, UICers accessed Primo VE (the new discovery system) 75,469 times and performed 190,988 searches.
Top 5 Searches on OPAC
（2022.1~2022.8）
Chinese Classics in English（148)
Cambridge Graded Readers（113）
Top 5 Searches on Summon
（2022.1~2022.8）
Top 5 Searches on Primo VE
（2022.9~2022.12）
02 Library Information Literacy Workshops
In 2022, the library held 64 information literacy workshops, including 24 regular workshops and 40 customized workshops requested by faculty. We were delighted to see more UICers took the initiative to participate in the information literacy workshops to improve their search skills and to utilize the library resources effectively and efficiently.
03 Interlibrary Loan Service
Number of Interlibrary Loan Requests Top 10 by Programme
In 2022, UICers applied for a total of 983 interlibrary loan requests, including 226 applications by teachers and 757 applications by students. The fulfillment rate was 97.8%. Among all the programmes, the students of the Applied Psychology programme submitted the most requests (223).
04 CTV 24 Frames Movie Database
24 Frames Movie Database Login Page
24 Frames Movie Database Platform
Single Movie Viewing Page
The CTV 24 Frames Movie Database collects, preserves and displays CTV graduating students' films. The database contained 387 film works, which covered the 12 cohorts of graduates since 2010. UICers can log in to the movie database with their UIC email and password to enjoy the movies made by CTV senior students.
The UIC Scholars Hub is a platform for collecting, preserving, presenting, and disseminating research achievements of UIC faculty members, with the goal of increasing public awareness of the talent at UIC. Currently, the Scholars Hub showcased the research achievements of 205 UIC scholars, including 4,448 journal articles, 1,312 conference papers, 443 book chapters, and 240 review articles.
01 New Student Orientation
First-year UICers visiting the LRC
In order to allow first-year UICers a comprehensive experience of the LRC and to help them understand the abundance of resources and services available to facilitate academic success, the LRC held guided tours for new students on August 21 and 22. The approximately 2,000 participating new students were divided into 223 groups and each group was given a library tour by an LRC librarian who explained the library collections and services. Of the 1,709 UICers participated in the satisfaction survey after the tour, 98% of them found the tour very rewarding. In addition, the new UICers were also able to participate in the Library Scavenger Hunt to become more familiar with the LRC's resources and services in a hands-on manner. UICers who completed the activity received a gift from the LRC.
The LRC, PGCC, and HFPC-APSY jointly opened the WellNest psychological self-help area. The area contains psychology self-help books on topics such as mental health and positive psychology. Furthermore, there is a sharing wall on which UICers can post motivational messages to share with their peers. WellNest also held a number of lectures where teachers and students discussed mental health topics and passed on positive energy.
UICers Using the Soundproof Pods to Practice Their Spoken English
In 2022, the LRC installed two soundproof pods to help UICers practice their spoken English in a private and comfy language learning environment. Each pod contains a computer with access to the MET (More English Talkers) database. There were 264 reservations in 2022.
04 Book Club Corner Activity
Tony Leading the UICers in a Book Sharing Session
In 2022, the LRC held 94 weekly book club sessions for UICers to discuss books and practice their English speaking. The sessions were run by ELC teacher Tony. The LRC rewarded the students who attained full attendance with books.
05 Student Assistant Spotlight
The library could also be considered another small world in the school. When I work here, I can put my thoughts aside for a while and focus on doing my job at the moment.
In the past year, I have gained a lot from my work. For example, the job of shelving books has given me the opportunity to familiarize myself with the layout of the library and the classification of books. Since working in the library, finding books is fast and accurate. When I am on duty at the circulation desk, I often get inquiries from students, and everytime I can help others, I feel a small sense of accomplishment. Working as a student assistant in the library has allowed me to learn more about the library's resources and services, and I would say that it has been a unique experience for me.
As a "veteran" who has worked in the LRC for more than three years, I am honored to have such a sacred job. From the beginning when I was a freshman, as a volunteer checking the order of books, to my senior year sitting at the front desk and answering students' questions with ease, I have enjoyed the joy of helping others. This joy not only nourishes my heart, but also makes me realize that the library is a gathering place of knowledge and spirituality for students, so my contribution has become even more special and meaningful!
I often joke with my friends that the library is my second home. My year as a student assistant in the LRC has been very rewarding. The books are like living beings, and labeling them is like naming them, and shelving them is like sending the children safely back to their respective homes. The process of being exposed to all kinds of books allowed me to learn more about new things and to feel the peace in my heart in an "immersive" work environment. Organizing books and serving students is also a way to improve myself and find a sense of "home" at the LRC.
From my freshman year to my junior year, I have always appreciated the company of the LRC. I enjoy the work of organizing books on the shelves, not only does it make me feel good to arrange books in different categories, but my organizational skills have also improved through this process. Time flies and the years go by, I will continue to enjoy every moment of my work in the library.
The LRC provides students with rich practical opportunities. After the job training, the student assistants will go to the Circulation and Acquisition departments to participate in basic work. Library work not only allows UICers to understand the library better, but also to manage their time well, to balance study and work, and to grow through practice.
Spring arrives
and the grass and trees begin to sprout.
Flowers of the golden trumpet trees
on campus are blooming as scheduled.
Swaying in the spring breeze
with a touch of floral scent.
Together with the LRC,
let's embrace the joy and colors of spring,
and embark on a new journey in 2023.
