Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
creates a delay relative to the potential impact that these technologies might have on
libraries if they could be delivered more rapidly. Rapid adoption of a technology
comes with considerable elements of risk which may not always be tolerable to
libraries that prefer to work more within a set of well-proven technologies. Trends
relating to the adoption of automation products is documented in the annual
“Automation Marketplace” industry report [1].
3
Align Infrastructure with Strategic Mission
To function optimally, libraries must have an automation infrastructure capable of
supporting their strategic mission and operational objectives. Technology naturally
does not exist as a means in itself, but rather as a set of tools to support the work of a
library. Great technology operates relatively transparently, but enables the library to
excel in its ability to serve its clients. A mismatch between the critical tasks or
activities of the library, what it aspires to accomplish and the capabilities of its
automation systems can hinder library success. One of the most glaring issues today
relates to library automation systems tightly bound around the model of print
borrowing and collections in an era when the electronic and digital collections
dominate.
Each sector of libraries sees a different set of trends relative to the shape of their
collections and services. Public Libraries, for example, continue to experience
vigorous and growing circulation of their print materials. E-book lending has entered
as a vital element of service for public libraries, but has not necessarily diminished
interest in the print collections and physical spaces. Academic and research libraries,
in contrast, generally have experienced more dramatic decreases in the circulation of
their print collections as electronic scholarly resources take center stage. Going
forward, I hope to see realignment of technology so that it proportionally meets the
objectives of libraries relative to print and electronic collections. Over the course of
the last two decades, libraries have seen a fundamental shift toward increasingly
dominant involvement with electronic materials and it is time for their technology
infrastructure to catch up with this reality.
4
Transitioning from Print to Digital
Academic libraries have seen incredible transformation in recent years. In the 1980s,
library collections, especially the sciences and technical disciplines, were dominated
by print serials, with hundreds of ranges of shelves of bound periodicals which were
most actively used. In stark contrast, the print serials collection in recent years sees
minimal use since these materials are much more conveniently available through
subscriptions to electronic journals and aggregated resources of scholarly content.
Many libraries have either discarded or placed the vast majority of their print serials
collections in remote storage, making way for collaborative learning spaces or other
programs that more directly engage library patrons.
Search WWH ::




Custom Search