The future is bright and confusing all at the same time. Libraries are scrambling to deal with economic limitations and an ever-accelerating technologically driven world. Every decision made needs to be evaluated and weighted against the mission of the library. That mission will in some way focus on service to the community and providing access to information. As libraries advance, they will be required to do so in line with those ideals. In addition to maintaining these standards, libraries do not want to become irrelevant because they waited to see, how technology would change, instead of acting (Law 15). Action must be taken, but the decision is how and to what extent technology should change the methods and services of the library. A key part of the future of all libraries is the use of digital technology within the reference area.
Mitchell et al. reports that “Web services, broadly writ, will no longer be add-ons or peripheral services” (255). This is all well and good, but how does one choose a service, from the boundless available via the Internet and/or software world, that is both effective and efficient, in the future, so that patrons receive quality service. A librarian must look at both the present patronage and the future users, many of whom will grow up without a clue as to what life was like before the Internet.
Current Patrons
There is a deep divide within the ranks of the present patrons of current libraries. While many contemporary users are technologically advanced enough to swiftly search Google for a subject or access library resources remotely, there is still a large segment of users that use the library because they do not possess a computers or the Internet. This digital divide must impact...
... middle of paper ...
... them to engage information users and add value to their organizations.Information Outlook, 13(8), 14.
• 10.Bernadete Campello. (2009). Developing students' information skills in brazilian school libraries: The librarian's role. School Libraries Worldwide, 15(1), 14.
• 11.Myhill, M., Shoebridge, M., & Snook, L. (2009). Virtual research environments - a web 2.0 cookbook?(virtual research environments: Issues and opportunities for librarians). Library Hi Tech, 27(2), 228. doi:10.1108/07378830910968182
• Michael Stephens. (2011). Can we handle the truth? Library Journal, 136(1), 44.
• Jeffrey Pomerantz. (2006). Collaboration as the norm in reference work. Reference & User Services Quarterly, 46(1), 45.
• Lili Luo. (2008). Chat reference evaluation: A framework of perspectives and measures. Reference Services Review,36(1), 71-85. doi:10.1108/00907320810852041
•
Librarians are defined as “a person, typically with a degree in library science, who administers or assists in a library.” In truth, they are much more than that. In a recent interview with Traci Glass, the Teen Librarian at the Eugene Public library, we explored her personal story with becoming a librarian, including how it has benefitted and affected her life.
Who can resist a book with a chapter titled, "Labia Lumps, Chunky Discharge, and Other Things They Never Taught Me in Library School"? Released this past summer, Revolting Librarians Redux: Radical Librarians Speak Out takes no prisoners as its contributors ponder everything from the backtracking of '60s values by ALA's baby boomers to librarian imagery in erotica. This edited volume is a sequel to a 1972 self-published book titled Revolting Librarians. The original is worth checking out for its historical value alone. The editors of the 2003 volume, Katia Roberto and Jessamyn West gathered essays from ten of the original writers from the 1972 book for this version and it is interesting to see what thirty years has done to these radical librarians.
This library system is utilizing all the technologies and materials available to them to serve the community in the best way. Despite certain social indicators and demographic statistics indicating that the library should not be overly utilized, it is thriving and is heavily in use. There are areas that the library can look to improve based on statistical evidence, such as reaching out to the low income population and the over 55 years age group. This library seems to be meeting numerous needs for a wide range of patrons, and doing it well.
“Guidelines and Considerations for Developing a Public Library Internet Use Policy.” American Library Association. 2000. American Library Association, Office for Intellectual Freedom. Accessed 1 April 2008. http://www.ala.org/ala/oif/statementspols/otherpolicies/guidelinesconsiderations.cfm
Hudak, Tina. (2008). Are Librarians reading teachers, too? Library Media Connection, 26(5). (Hudak, Tina, 2008)
Adaptive Technology Equipment for the Library. Lisiecki, Christine; Computers in Libraries, v19 n6 p18-20,22 Jun 1999
In the world of preservation and library science the common focus is on preserving content, ensuring its longevity, findability, and a stable consistent metadata and technology solution, However we live in an age where everyone is a publisher of some form, and more consistently the content they produce will be in a digital rather than analogue form. Within that content there will always be varying amounts of metadata, some will be populated with an immense detail and granularity, some content will have been created with no human intervention to add additional information to it. In fact much of the digital material produced will have been done so by people who have no concept of metadata, and no inclination to know about it or time to use it. The question raised by Smiths statement highlights many of the issues around data preservation and digital content, with metadata only being a part of those issues, but integral to the ongoing management of the massive influx of digital content being produced.
Libraries are essential to a community especially in difficult times. Due to rising costs and job losses, patrons may have had to cut their own expenses such as buying books or cancelling their internet service. In order to continue to have access to these materials, patrons turn to their libraries. However, libraries are often the first to get cut in budget reforms. A library can survive a budget crisis by making cuts, fundraising, developing trust, and media exposure.
Now that we are living in an ever changing world, technology is viewed as the most resourceful tool in keeping up with the pace. Without the use of technology, communication would be limited to using mail for delivery and encyclopedias for research. Although technology has improved the way we communicate and find information for research, the information is not always valid. Unfortunately, for those of us who use the internet for shopping, research, or reading articles of personal interest the information is not treated the same as a your magazine or book. While such literature is reviewed by an editorial staff, internet literature or information can be published by anyone. In order to reap the full benefit of having the use of technology for any purpose, there are five basic criteria’s one must keep in mind as an evaluating tool for deciding whether or not the particular website is a reliable source for information.
... to the Library and that have generally been underused resources. B. Greater use of the Library's Capitol Hill facilities by scholars for the kind of interdisciplinary, cross-cultural, multimedia, multilingual, and synthetic writing that is important to Congressional deliberation and national policy-making, but inadequately encouraged both by special interest groups and by advocacy-oriented think tanks; and C. Greater use by the general public through programs that stimulate interest, increase knowledge, and encourage more citizens to use the collections on-site and electronically.”The Library employees will add their position as information guides by “helping more people find appropriate materials in a swelling sea of unsorted information” and directing them to services and resources exclusive to the Library of Congress. This requires not only more growth of employees that the Library has formerly had, but also making it easier in new ways more wide-ranging and “systematic use by researchers of the distinctive materials that only the Library of Congress has.” Courses for the common public, such as displays or publications, must display the importance and value of the collections.
The internet, initially developed by researchers at MIT and UCLA, had first purposes as a communications system between participating Universities. Walt Howe, Director of Libraries at Babson College, explains that the use of the system was limited to engineers, scientists, and those with the complex knowledge of computer operating systems. Because of the complexity involved many attempted to create a more user efficient system, one that home users could adopt. The most modern and user friendly system was pioneered around 1991 at University of Minnesota as a tool to access files and information local...
Through the years works of literature have been distributed through many different means. These means usually reflect and take advantage of the latest technologies. Dominant sources of literature have changed over time. Today, instead of scouring though the local library’s card catalog, prospective readers will likely log onto Amazon to find the latest book in their favorite genre. Media technology has made communicating increasingly easier as time has passed throughout history. Everyone is now encouraged to use media tools and is expected to have a general understanding of the various technologies available. Only time will tell what the future will hold for electronic media. The present avenues may one day be looked back upon as today’s Library of Alexandria and be just another ruin in the history of literature.
Library managers should organize technology-based training for librarians in order to make them comfortable with new technologies and more aware of their dangers. Since technology skills are important part of most library and information jobs, librarians should make sure they acquire technological skills continuously. University libraries should employed qualified information and technology specialist and troubleshooters to maximize system accessibility and provide a level of comfort to the librarians.
The discussion into the relevance of this question can only be fabricated based on the definitive consideration of the internet, a key digital facet that expedites the abrasion of print publications. The internet has rendered access to information very effective, easy and strategic. Gone are the days when one would walk miles to the nearest library in order to satisfy their appetite for reading. With the internet, information storage has largely been restructured and can be retrieved in various digital forms. It is therefore commonsensical to assume that many publications, previously in print form, will eventually appear in digital format as e-books. To champions of printed books, this futuristic scenario provides the basis for their arguments.
The Bibliographic Chain is a process whereby information proceeds through an individual’s imagination/mind to its final resting place which may be in the format of an encyclopaedia summary [1]. The Bibliographic Chain contains eleven progressive links which consists of: knowledge within human resources; information created by institutions; documents that are currently being worked on; unpublished studies and findings; periodicals; reports and monographs; services (indexing and abstracting); bibliographic lists and essays/reports; yearly reviews and prolific reports, books and encyclopaedic summaries [5].