This is how “Usoteca”, UA Library’s new service for sharing objects, works

The University of Alicante (UA) will make a new service available to students from 2024, known as Usoteca or “library of things”a space to request temporary loans for everyday objects with very diverse uses.

This way, instead of buying things to use sporadically or occasionally, they are shared within the university community, thus expanding their use and becoming accessible to more people.

These types of projects seek to reduce the environmental impact caused by people purchasing tools that are rarely used, as well as reusing objects. Promoting the circular economy.

[Victoria Tur: “La labor de la comunicación científica no puede ser altruista y debe ser reconocida”]

The Usoteca service will be carried out primarily from the media library, but some materials will be made available in the rest of the university libraries. This project aims to increase the types of things that are already borrowed in libraries, such as laptops, e-book readers, music kiosks, etc. Initially, it will start with the loan of learning support materials, and after that, it aims to expand the scope of objects to tools and instruments.Sports equipment, musical instruments, or anything that meets the described characteristics.

For this reason, the UA University Library invites the university community to participate in the initiative by Donate items you have at homeIt is in good condition and rarely used. For more information and how to participate in donating, you can refer to the media library’s web address.

The Usoteca service was created thanks to A An agreement signed between the University of Alicante and the Generalitats of Valencianathrough the Ministry of Finance, Economy, Public Administration, Productive Sectors, Trade and Employment, and is also supported by the Commonomía and Territorio Empresa.

Volunteering at UA

On the other hand, the Office of the Vice-Rector for International Relations and Development Cooperation at the University of Alicante maintains among its strategic objectives the raising of awareness in the university community of solidarity and civic values, through The private international volunteer program “Volinter-UA” and the European Solidarity Corps programme.

For this purpose, the University Vice President’s Office organizes an information meeting for the entire university community. Tomorrow, Thursday, November 30, at 11:30 am in the meeting room in the second semester on campus, The various international volunteering options that can be developed through the UA will be announced: the Volinter-UA program and the European Solidarity Program of the European Commission.

These programs also seek, in the case of students, to provide them with an academic complement to their training in an international environment. Officials explain that the meeting will include testimony from UA Fellows who have recently completed their volunteer residencies and who will share their experiences with attendees.

The International Solidarity Volunteering Program of the University of Alicante “Volinter-UA” launched its first call last February 2023 with thirty places in Latin America and Africa, in cooperation with four NGOs: Fundación Hombres Nuevos (10 places in Bolivia); Guaguacona (9 seats in Ecuador); Jorge Aliu Foundation (4 places in Mauritania) and Rafiki Africa (7 places in Uganda),” with an investment of €45,000 by UA, “A number that is supplemented by various contributions from NGOs that cover in some cases accommodation, and in others, accommodation and meals“, explained the Vice Chancellor for International Relations and Development Cooperation at the University of Arizona, Rosa M. Martinez.