RSU Library – smart support in studies, research, and everyday life

When speaking with Ināra Aploka, Director of the RSU Library, it becomes clear that in a modern university a library is no longer just a place where books are stored on shelves. It is an environment where to study on site, search for reliable information, as well as receive support for studies and research. It is a place where knowledge, technology, and people come together to help navigate the vast world of information. 

A library that helps move forward 

The main mission of the RSU Library is to support the study process and research activities by providing high-quality information resources and services.

These are available to students, researchers, academic staff, employees, and the entire RSU community.

The library is not just a repository. It is an essential part of the university’s academic environment, helping students study more effectively, conduct deeper research, and find reliable information exactly when it is needed most.

What students really gain from the library 

For students, the library means much more than just a place to borrow a book. It is a place to focus on work, use study materials, meet for group projects, and get assistance when the search for information feels complicated. It is also a place to learn essential skills, such as how to find reliable sources, critically evaluate information, and create references.

The RSU Library offers a wide range of e-resources. In 2025, it has subscribed to 12 multidisciplinary, 15 medical, one sports, and nine social sciences e-resource databases. These include e-books, scientific journals, evidence-based resources, news and reference materials, various tools, as well as videos, doctoral theses, and the AMBOSS database of medical information and self-assessment tests.

This means that students do not have to rely on information randomly found on the internet. 

The library provides access to reliable, peer-reviewed, and high-quality sources, which are particularly important for studies.

 More convenient, faster, and more accessible 

The use of printed resources has also become more convenient in the library. Books and other information resources can be borrowed, extended and returned, with many of these actions performed remotely. This can be done by calling to the library, emailing, filling out a form in the RSU support system, or by logging into the Primo search tool.

Since 2016, students have been able to use the Open Access Loan self-service points to borrow resources, extend loan periods, and return items independently. And since October 2025, information resources from the Open Access Loan collection can also be picked up through the RSU parcel locker located in the lobby at 16 Dzirciema iela. 

It is particularly important that the Open Access Loan premises and the collection have been available 24/7 since 2018.

Reading rooms are also available for working with the collection, as well as for individual and group work.

For students, this means a simple, flexible, and modern environment that adapts to different study rhythms.

Support for those who research and write 

The RSU Library is also an important support for researchers and anyone preparing scientific publications.

To help users find the necessary information more quickly at different stages of their research, the library’s website includes the Research Support section. 

The Strategic Publishing section provides information on what to do before preparing a publication, how to choose suitable journals, how to identify predatory journals, and how to ensure that publications may be found. 

Library specialists offer consultations, lead webinars and seminars, as well as assist in selecting the most appropriate journals for publication.

If a researcher specifies the topic or field of their publication, library specialists prepare a list of relevant journals, taking into account the RSU requirement to get published in journals recognised in their field and ranked in the first or second quartile in the Scopus and Web of Science databases.

The library also provides significant support in the preparation of reviews. In 2025, support was provided for the development of five systematic reviews and four field-specific reviews. Library specialists offer consultations on the preparing of reviews, relevant guidelines, tools, scientific quality assessment, evidence location, saving bibliographic information, and search methods. Certain services are also fee-based, such as the assistance with developing and documenting search strategies, evidence searching, and compiling bibliography. 

Support even when the needed resource is not on site 

Not everything is always available in a single library, and the RSU Library has a solution for that as well. With the help of the Inter-Library Loan and International Inter-Library Loan services, users can request information resources from other libraries in Latvia and abroad, as well as from document delivery centres, if they are not available in the RSU Library’s collection.

This means that the search for the information does not stop at a single shelf or within one database.

A library also for academic staff and employees 

The services of the RSU Library are available not only to students and researchers; they can also be used by every RSU employee and academic staff.

For professional development, the library offers various webinars within the lifelong learning system, as well as in cooperation with the Centre for Educational Growth.

Among the topics covered are tools such as Writefull and EndNote2025.

How the digital age has changed the library 

In recent years, digital technologies have significantly transformed both library operations and user habits. Services have become more flexible, as e-resources can be accessed remotely. Using computers located at RSU buildings, databases can be accessed from the library’s Resources section on the RSU website, while remote access is available from the E-databases and Tools section on MyRSU, using an RSU username and password.

However, along with convenience come new challenges. People increasingly expect to find everything instantly, with a single click. This can lead to information being consumed in a superficial and fragmented way. That is why information literacy and critical thinking are becoming very essential. Library specialists support users in this area both on site and remotely, offering guidance on the database use, strategic publishing, and reference management.

At the same time, the physical library is increasingly becoming a place for learning and collaboration.

Starting September 2026, the newly renovated library will offer spaces for both group and individual work, as well as the access to laptops for users when needed.

Many processes have also become more convenient. Library users who are leaving RSU or are graduating no longer need to visit the library with clearance forms, provided there are no outstanding fines. Everything is handled electronically. Users also receive email reminders about the due dates for borrowed items.

Looking ahead: an even more modern and accessible library 

The development of the RSU Library is closely linked to the university’s strategy, user needs, and the quality of resources. A significant step is the participation in the Digitalisation of the Study Process project, under which a new, globally recognised integrated system for digital resources and library management is planned to be procured and implemented by the end of 2028. This will enable further modernisation of the library’s operations and make services even easier to use.

The library aims to develop into several directions: expanding digital resources, improving remote access, strengthening information literacy and research skills, providing greater support for publications, enhancing user-oriented services, modernising facilities, integrating technologies, strengthening collaboration within the university, and improving communication about available resources and services.

For RSU students, the library is a place to grow and learn more effectively. It provides confidence that alongside the study process, there is also a strong and modern support system. The RSU Library offers a wide range of opportunities, and the better they are acquired, the more benefit to the entire university community is provided.