The purpose of this paper is to discuss the role of university libraries in the European Research Area, focusing on collection, diffusion and the exploitation of knowledge.
The paper describes the potential of university libraries, the development of online libraries, repositories of scientific information and publication databases. It examines the role of university libraries in Poland in the process of knowledge transfer.
There has been an increase in the role of libraries as agents of information exchange within universities, together with a growth in the purchase of electronic publications. There has also been an apparent change in the perception of libraries as centres of testing and dissemination of new technologies.
The paper offers insights into why university libraries should become actively involved in the management of intellectual property and the transfer of knowledge.
