The Library then and now: it s importance and relevance to the present-day generation by Fe Angela M. Verzosa

Overview We live in an information society. Information is our basic resource & product. Information Technology has wrought significant changes for all information-handling professions.

We live in an information society.

Information is our basic resource & product.

Information Technology has wrought significant changes for all information-handling professions.

Introduction Libraries are user-centered organizations focused on patron satisfaction. Libraries value access to information as fundamental to education and research. Up-to-date technology provides one of the best means to reach their goals. Information Technology has brought significant changes to libraries.

Libraries are user-centered organizations focused on patron satisfaction.

Libraries value access to information as fundamental to education and research.

Up-to-date technology provides one of the best means to reach their goals.

Information Technology has brought significant changes to libraries.

This presentation… Discusses libraries then and now as an important resource Presents the current or recent developments in library management Explores the ethical dilemmas librarians face in relation to these current developments and discusses their ethical responsibilities Recommends measures towards enhancing library resources to meet the challenges and opportunities of today’s libraries as resource centers

Discusses libraries then and now as an important resource

Presents the current or recent developments in library management

Explores the ethical dilemmas librarians face in relation to these current developments and discusses their ethical responsibilities

Recommends measures towards enhancing library resources to meet the challenges and opportunities of today’s libraries as resource centers

Today’s situation Old ways : preoccupation with volumes, cards, materials, facilities, procedures, clerical work, statistical output, etc. traditional library functions: labelling, accessioning, sorting, typing, shelving, searching, & other manual activities concept of ownership, autonomy, and self-sufficiency in libraries

Old ways : preoccupation with volumes, cards, materials, facilities, procedures, clerical work, statistical output, etc.

traditional library functions: labelling, accessioning, sorting, typing, shelving, searching, & other manual activities

concept of ownership, autonomy, and self-sufficiency in libraries

Technology technologies are tools to make information- handling easier, more efficient, and less costly. Technologies must be looked into as means to an end --- not the end themselves. The technological concerns are: effectiveness efficiency economy

technologies are tools to make information-

handling easier, more efficient, and less

costly.

Technologies must be looked into as means

to an end --- not the end themselves.

The technological concerns are:

effectiveness

efficiency

economy

New Technologies CD Rom technology Interactive Multimedia Online catalogs Electronic publishing Electronic mails and file transfers Automation Networking Digitization from librarian…..

CD Rom technology

Interactive Multimedia

Online catalogs

Electronic publishing

Electronic mails and file transfers

Automation

Networking

Digitization

from librarian…..

Impact of New Technologies to information intermediary collection policies budgeting & funding acquisition methods bibliographic control cataloging processes reference services staffing physical facilities

to information intermediary

collection policies

budgeting & funding

acquisition methods

bibliographic control

cataloging processes

reference services

staffing

physical facilities

Current institutional goals Support instructional, curricular, and research needs of the faculty Support informational, classroom, and general reading interests of the students Fast delivery of information resources Facilitate access into other library collections Support extension programs of the institution

Support instructional, curricular, and research needs of the faculty

Support informational, classroom, and general reading interests of the students

Fast delivery of information resources

Facilitate access into other library collections

Support extension programs of the institution

Managing our collection faces a crisis... * reduction in expenditures due to price increases *diminished resources *aging of the collection *digital formats are not less expensive *resource-sharing may not solve the problem

Collection Development: recent developments academic budgets pay increasing homage to serials to the neglect of book purchases in spite of declining funds …

academic budgets pay increasing homage to serials to the neglect of book purchases in spite of declining funds …

Collection Development: recent developments traditional concept of ownership is challenged by the idea of access (whether automated access to information or to information resources through document delivery or interlibrary lending) in lieu of ownership …

traditional concept of ownership is challenged by the idea of access (whether automated access to information or to information resources through document delivery or interlibrary lending) in lieu of ownership …

Collection Development : recent developments emphasis is on intellectual content , rather than the traditional format

Collection Development: recent developments developing core collections rather than comprehensive holdings will dominate collection policies…

developing core collections rather than comprehensive holdings will dominate collection policies…

Collection Development : recent developments electronic networks such as the INTERNET are now a reality. Students and faculty are gaining access to a multitude of library catalogs worldwide. More capital funds are being re-channelled to buy computer equipment, licenses and access fees…

electronic networks such as the INTERNET are now a reality. Students and faculty are gaining access to a multitude of library catalogs worldwide. More capital funds are being re-channelled to buy computer equipment, licenses and access fees…

Collection Development: recent developments multimedia (interactive videos) and cd-rom technology are becoming more and more attractive than prints, because they present a better alternative to reading…

multimedia (interactive videos) and cd-rom technology are becoming more and more attractive than prints, because they present a better alternative to reading…

Interest in resource- sharing, collaborative purchasing, and cooperative collection has replaced the competitive instinct of librarians… Collection Development: recent developments

Ethical dilemmas Inescapable because of these interrelated developments Librarians forced to make choices with limited resources Abuse fair use doctrine and ignore copyright restrictions

Inescapable because of these interrelated developments

Librarians forced to make choices with limited resources

Abuse fair use doctrine and ignore copyright restrictions

Professional ethics important to librarianship because: Ethics define our professional values and our professionalism, and inform library patrons about what we have to offer. Ethics raise the standards of librarianship Ethics demonstrate commitment Ethics raise the profile and importance of our profession. But, in ever-changing times, ethical frameworks are likely to require adjustment; therefore, we must continue to discuss and revise our values accordingly. Such measures will ensure that we can continue to provide relevant services, and this in turn, will secure our futures. New discussions and dialogues will shape the future of Philippine librarianship.

important to librarianship because:

Ethics define our professional values and our professionalism, and inform library patrons about what we have to offer.

Ethics raise the standards of librarianship

Ethics demonstrate commitment

Ethics raise the profile and importance of our profession.

But, in ever-changing times, ethical frameworks are likely to require adjustment; therefore, we must continue to discuss and revise our values accordingly. Such measures will ensure that we can continue to provide relevant services, and this in turn, will secure our futures. New discussions and dialogues will shape the future of Philippine librarianship.

What are our ethical responsibilities? Be honest in giving available alternatives to gaining access to information Be wise consumers of information products Encourage technical innovations that benefit information users Promote awareness to the importance of open access to information Observe and implement judiciously laws and standards of professional practice

Be honest in giving available alternatives to gaining access to information

Be wise consumers of information products

Encourage technical innovations that benefit information users

Promote awareness to the importance of open access to information

Observe and implement judiciously laws and standards of professional practice

review present status of collection assess strengths and weaknesses identify unmet and emerging needs list priorities for acquisition Know what the library needs …

review present status of collection

assess strengths and weaknesses

identify unmet and emerging needs

list priorities for acquisition

Developing core collections rather than comprehensive holdings is a priority. Care should taken in updating. Emphasis is on intellectual content , rather than the traditional format Use shelf behavior and circulation usage to determine usefulness. Know how to keep collection current and useful…

Developing core collections rather than comprehensive holdings is a priority.

Care should taken in updating.

Emphasis is on intellectual content , rather than the traditional format

Use shelf behavior and circulation usage to determine usefulness.

Formulate short and long–term plans for collection development Information should be collected in the most appropriate format. Usefulness, not format, is the deciding factor in acquisition. Disseminate information on new materials for selection to clientele before acquisition match funds with needs set limits on spending Enhancing your library resources

Formulate short and long–term plans for collection development

Information should be collected in the most appropriate format. Usefulness, not format, is the deciding factor in acquisition.

Disseminate information on new materials for selection to clientele before acquisition

match funds with needs

set limits on spending

Identification/selection of materials thru review sites and websites of vendors, publishers, traditional booksellers, libraries, academic institutions, etc. Web harvesting Archiving web resources Indexing archived documents Developing Online Collections

Identification/selection of materials thru review sites and websites of vendors, publishers, traditional booksellers, libraries, academic institutions, etc.

Web harvesting

Archiving web resources

Indexing archived documents

Resource-sharing, collaborative purchasing, and cooperative collection present alternatives to enhance collections, reduce not only acquisition costs. Enhancing with shared collections...

Resource-sharing the goal of many consortia is cooperative collection development. by knowing their strengths/weaknesses, libraries could take advantage of the strengths and work together to cover the weaknesses.

the goal of many consortia is cooperative collection development.

by knowing their strengths/weaknesses, libraries could take advantage of the strengths and work together to cover the weaknesses.

Benefits from Shared Collections Enhance library resources and services Expand the breadth and depth of collections Reduce unnecessary duplication Reduce costs and space requirements Maximize their use

Enhance library resources and services

Expand the breadth

and depth of collections

Reduce unnecessary

duplication

Reduce costs and space requirements

Maximize their use

Acquiring gifts and donations Manuscript collections and rare books Local studies material Personal/family papers Periodical/serial titles of general interest Reference material of timeless value

Manuscript collections and rare books

Local studies material

Personal/family papers

Periodical/serial titles of general interest

Reference material of timeless value

An Action Agenda to Meet the Challenges of Technology Redefine the role (image) of librarians Upgrade librarians’ professionalism Improve recruiting Update curriculum of graduate education Restructure library management (from hierarchical to team structure) Redesign library work Reinvent the library

Redefine the role (image) of librarians

Upgrade librarians’ professionalism

Improve recruiting

Update curriculum of graduate education

Restructure library management (from hierarchical to team structure)

Redesign library work

Reinvent the library

Image-building adopting the faculty-researcher model knowledge-navigators resource managers diversifying from collection development to library management systems design, and research and publications

adopting the faculty-researcher model

knowledge-navigators

resource managers

diversifying from collection development to library management systems

design, and

research and publications

Upgrade librarian’s professionalism *delegating non-professional work to support staff increasing pay scale *continuing education *self-renewal

Improve recruiting *HIRE PROFESSIONALS: systems managers, media specialists, programmers, archivists, documentalists *REQUIRE MLS as entry point, and * HIRE ONLY LICENSED LIBRARIANS

UPDATE CURRICULUM Of GRADUATE EDUCATION ...to produce management-minded librarians with special skills in computing, multimedia, and archival documentation work .

RESTRUCTURE library management *developing participatory management style *evolving semi-autonomous workgroups *reducing the number/ level of supervisors

redesign library work * create semiautonomous depts *review job functions with emphasis on flexibility *adopt flexitime schedules

reinvent the library wall-less hi-tech people- centered proactive

Summary & Recommendations Collection Development should undergo review to ensure acquisition, weeding and retention policies are unbiased and customer-focused, so that library users have access to current, relevant and authoritative information in their preferred format. Examine storage conditions of the existing book stock . Provisions must made to store rare materials in conditions that will ensure preservation and a longer shelf life, whilst maintaining ease of access for library users. With regard to the general book collection, cataloging and classification standards and procedures should be continuously reassessed to ensure that classification is in line with twenty-first-century thinking, which, consequently, should facilitate browsing.

Collection Development should undergo review to ensure acquisition, weeding and retention policies are unbiased and customer-focused, so that library users have access to current, relevant and authoritative information in their preferred format.

Examine storage conditions of the existing book stock . Provisions must made to store rare materials in conditions that will ensure preservation and a longer shelf life, whilst maintaining ease of access for library users.

With regard to the general book collection, cataloging and classification standards and procedures should be continuously reassessed to ensure that classification is in line with twenty-first-century thinking, which, consequently, should facilitate browsing.

Conclusion Libraries are key partners in higher education, critical to the ability of academic institutions to succeed in teaching and learning. Libraries will also continue to be important sources for the support and promotion of new developments in librarianship. Changes in the library environment, such as technological innovations and legal limitations on the use of information, will continue to offer opportunities for librarians to gain and apply new knowledge. At the same time, the expertise that librarians have developed in organizing, providing access to, and preserving information will become more important than ever. The librarian of the future will have more opportunities to support learning, enhance teaching, and improve research, providing services to the users of today as well as anticipating the needs of the users of tomorrow.

Libraries are key partners in higher education, critical to the ability of academic institutions to succeed in teaching and learning.

Libraries will also continue to be important sources for the support and promotion of new developments in librarianship.

Changes in the library environment, such as technological innovations and legal limitations on the use of information, will continue to offer opportunities for librarians to gain and apply new knowledge.

At the same time, the expertise that librarians have developed in organizing, providing access to, and preserving information will become more important than ever.

The librarian of the future will have more opportunities to support learning, enhance teaching, and improve research, providing services to the users of today as well as anticipating the needs of the users of tomorrow.

Parting words… The ultimate test of a good library is whether the materials are available to those who need them, when and where they are needed (effectiveness), the manner in which they are made available (efficiency), and at what cost (economy).

The ultimate test of a good library is whether the materials are available to those who need them, when and where they are needed (effectiveness), the manner in which they are made available (efficiency), and at what cost (economy).