New Perspectives in Science Education

From its inception to the present  the library goes through transformations, adopting different roles and functions. And if in the beginning its main function was the preservation of books and documents, so today its mission is more responsible. Opinions of the scientists about the library as a social institution are diverse, but all of them highlight the need of identifying its various functions. The purpose of this paper is to present the main features of the library.

Educational function is accomplished by supporting the educational process providing an opportunity for helping the readers to deepen and broaden their knowledge (to increase their educational level, forms of lifelong learning or self-study). At several studies the educational function "training for development of information skills" is marked as the third most important component, right after the resource functions of the institutional mission and the providing of access to information.

Libraries should provide access to information and materials to ensure the needs of formal and informal education. They offer educational services to all its target groups: children, youth, students, adults, families, and also for teachers and educators. Their task is to generate an idea of ​​the integrity of the historical process, to form a spiritual and social identity of the individual and to prepare young people for their adaptation and realization in modern democratic society in the context of globalization and cultural diversity.

The usage of new forms for building competencies and continuing education, the exchange of ideas and creative collaboration between education and library practice are a milestone in "reinventing the library" in accordance with the changes in the information environment. The consideration of issues of the need for active use of modern technologies in libraries, in connection with the processes of implementation and integration of modern educational technologies, convincingly shows that the creation of optimal conditions for satisfying the information needs in education is not possible without changes in the libraries.