INNOVATIVENESS AND MODERN TRENDS IN HIGHER EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS AND LIBRARIES AS UNITS OF THEIR STRUCTURE

Innovations are present in all fields of human activity. Therefore, they are an indispensable segment of the activities of higher-educational institutions which are going through a very demanding process of development towards future forms of educational, scientific and research work. Higher education activities imply a continuous monitoring of innovations, and their application in the educational process. The aforementioned activities are also related to the academic library, which is an unavoidable factor in the process of carrying out scientific and educational work, and is, unlike the public library, closely related to innovative processes in education and the performance of scientific activities. Using innovative methods and solutions, along with transformational processes, the library must satisfy its users with knowledgeable staff, who are ready to answer questions and meet the challenges of increasingly demanding modern users. For this reason, employees in higher education libraries are obliged to continuously improve their level of education, and to constantly keep up with modern trends, with a particular emphasis on respecting what is prescribed by the principles of the code of ethics and the legal regulations in the field of library work, as well as in the field of activities of higher-educational institutions and the protection of intellectual property. In order for this entire process to be implemented, the management of these institutions must invest all their effort and knowledge into reaching their goals through efficient organisation and a strategy that will lead to a high quality of service and a competitive advantage in this market.