Investigation of Potential of Teleworking and the Needs of Teleworkers to Perform Their Role in the Libraries of the University of Verona

Abstract

Since the 1980s there has been a proliferation of literature about telework. A vast majority of these books, articles, and web sites are focused on the benefits of this flexible form of work. On the contrary in library environment, where telework embraces and develops side hand in hand with any form of ICTs development, telecommuting is almost unknown, seldom implemented – and often only in informal ways – and rarely reported. Few experiences of telework in libraries are reported. Those experiences show, mainly in United States and German libraries, that wherever telework has been adopted a wide range of library activities are carried out through home-based telework. The extraordinary development of ICTs has determined a growth of potential activities for teleworking librarians. The University of Verona has adopted telework since 1999 putting the “Progetto Iride” into practice.