Lied Library @ four years: technology never stands still / J.Vaughan
This case study of a large academic library's technological evolution provides a good overview of the pros & cons of adopting new technologies & the unique challenges it poses. No detail was left out: from larger system updates & changes to analyzing the printing costs. The one point the author raised and resonates with me (& probably most library/info pros) was "...the fact that so much information is available & expected online, 7/24/365, the times when the library is truly closed are fading away." Vaughan does not give exact dollar figures, but if a library of that caliber updates only its computers every three years, even with a vendor discount, it will cost millions of dollars. Also, when the costs of e-journals, databases, software & accessories are added in, along with staff wages, how do libraries balance the need to provide the services/information their users want with the realities of shrinking budgets? I wish Vaughan had gone into more detail on that particular point.
2004 Information Format Trends: Content, Not Containers / OCLC
This trend report from OCLC covers the explosion of digital content & how it effects the basic nature & purpose of library work. Although this research is 5 years old, it's still interesting to mark the predictions that have come true in the intervening years. Information is now available everywhere, to everyone, all the time - with or without the help of libraries. If library users are as the article states "content consumers" & "format agnostic," what will that mean for us a future library/info pros? What does it mean for us now as content consumers who have a deeper understanding of librarianship?
Full disclosure: I love the internet & being online. I am a consumer of online content: websites, blogs, social media, search engines - almost everything. On the one hand, I appreciate the free exchange of ideas in many avenues. I feel people should be able to create or access or describe most information in any legal way they want. I don't necessarily want to consult LC for the "correct" subject headings if I post vacation pictures on Flickr or books on LibraryThing. But, on the other hand, (please feel free to disagree with me here) I mostly agree with the article & think it's our responsibility as library/info pros to really engage in these new arenas of information (without taking over) & assist with "synthesiz[ing it] into knowledge."
Information Literacy and Information Technology Literacy: New Components in the Curriculum for a Digital Culture / Lynch
The author sets out to address/define what information technology literacy is, how it should be taught, & how it should be used. The author also puts forth the idea of student-created simulations for better understanding. It’s not enough to know how to use the tools – one must also understand how the technology infrastructure works together with (or against) social issues. As technology changes so much around us, it’s more important that everyone understands how & why these systems work. The line between strict technician & average user is blurring, so our jobs may be (as stated in the previous article) to help others navigate these systems. But my question is how? The author doesn't give many suggestions for this at all.
Hello Tracey,
ReplyDeleteI believe you bring up a valid point with your question. While more and more information is moving into a digital format, we have to ask where the limits are. Can we financially afford to make these changes and additions as frequently as technology shifts? Can we, as librarians, adjust and adapt to technology as it changes in order to teach our patrons to utilize these new tools? Are we even capable of meeting every need of every patron?
There are a few libraries that are facing this exact same problem, whether it is a public library or an academic institution. Vaughan's notes on the Lied Library can be easily found in most libraries today, posing the of "how is this being done today?" to your concern of how it can be done.
Just a few thoughts to stir the pot and see what comes out.