Are we popping out of the libraries?

[Ajit P]

An old joke about libraries goes like this: A boy walks into a library and asks for a burger and fries. “Young man!” the startled librarian reprimands. “You are in a library.” So the boy repeats his order, only this time, he whispers.

So much has changed in libraries in recent years that such a scene may not be so far-fetched. Many libraries have become bustling community centers where talking out loud and even eating are perfectly acceptable.

Libraries have spread up its wings beyond the four walls as few librarians posits that due to the recession, the availability of new technology and because libraries have been re-imagining themselves — a necessity for staying relevant as municipal budgets are slashed and e-books are on the rise.

When one of my dear friend who is an engineer by profession, asked my "hey ajit..what is library yaar..Just books,,magazines.. hmnnn??

I said.. "Libraries are the birth place of popping ideas". Further I added, Earlier libraries were about "finding" the information and now its "creating" the information.

Although we have moved from content to context our goal is the same as that of traditional libraries: To help patrons access information. We all know the technology is taking the libraries to its extend and our information scientist/ specialist are moving to adopt with this change from the four walls of the libraries to libraries in pocket (mobile technology). We can see this change even in the syllabus of various department libraries of Indian Universities

Few libraries nowadays have breaking news highlighters and e-newspaper reader scroll tabs to attract users as we all know that this new generation users are reluctant and wanted everything in one-click of the mouse.

When i joined my this inst were I am working now, I was stunned to see that no one comes to library..Some ten years back, this library was living..was packed with users and now you wont believe that hardly 20- 25 users used to visit our library per day.... One day, I have a chat with few of my scientist(s) working here and they suggested to put a coffee area where at least they/ users will come to have a sip and we can get some extra users inside the library. Yes, this is all about marketing of one's library. So many ppl suggested for book reviews, or some extension service bla bla blah...!

I come to my subject...."Are we still thinking to popping out of the libraries"??? or happy with what we have now..!

regards,

- Ajit P.

[sonia gaur]

nice! In the new era library should be pop-out.whether through small cafetiere or nice and attractive furniture or attractive charts or good reading material . for existence of library yes marketing should be done to bring the readers.

[vasumathi]

Interesting post Mr. Ajith, The Ambience sense  is an essential  benchmark   of  any  place , Library is nt a  exception,,, , As    technology    ruling the world,  no surprise decline in  library usage marks  a downfall. Users  need a  friendly  environment. So.. Presentation of a contemporary library with all amenities might recover the trend.

[Ajit P]

Dear Sonia and Vasumathi mam,

                Thank you for your post and valuable outputs.. The new landscape of the digital age and the affect it has on librarians is not without its challenges.  Now, we must keep up-to-date with latest developments across all technologies and mediums while still providing traditional onsite librarian functions.  In light of the changing landscape of library science, Master Degree programs in Library Science and Information have adapted to become more inclusive of technology and media training.  Degree programs have morphed and adapted to meet the needs of the evolving information environment we live in.  

[MUKUL AGARWAL]

Nice thoughts....thanks for sharing them with us.....But what a LIS professional working in a small place with manual library can do? Modern libraries demand librarians trained and experienced in digital libraries...but without exposure how can he learn and apply for the well being of a society? This is the high time for thinking about libraries,librarians and LIS's future in our country

[Ajit P]

Dear Mukul Ji,

Thank You for your post and raising that question.. I was reading something one day and it happened to be a blogpost of one president of american archivist, where he argued that, “what information professional do in the digital era remains the same”. How far we move but we must still work with record creators and publishers to create the collection..managing and organising the  information at the same time..None of that changes in the digital era...

Many hesitates because they do not know what they need to know, and the knowledge and skills set required by the information professionals depend a great deal upon the availability of other technical expertise in the organisation. We library professionals are slow in capturing the speed of technology growing around us and if so happen that we reach to that level of technological skills, a new versions or software comes out...! That creates job insecurity and burnouts in our sector....

Now-a-days we LIS professionals are facing some international issues like cyberspace, content-regulations, copyright, sense of community, digital preservation, marketing of information product and services, open source software, etc. In addition to general qualification and requirements, a commitment to excellence user-centred services, effective oral and written communication, as well as team collaborator must also possess additional capabilities, experience, knowledge and skills.

 

I used to elaborate the word, "TECHNOLOGY" as "TECH + KNOW"  or "TECH + NO" in a logical ways that when I know then it is a BOON or else CURSE in our profession..Charles Darwin's theory "survival of the fittest", correctly fits here 

 

[Vijayalekshmy K N]

• ajit... me too join 100% with yr reply to Mukul. In my opinion librarian has good knowledge about his/her user community and their needs first.Will give more importance to user oriented services than the propaganda using technological services...technological sevices are add on qualities of a library for full filling the aim of the library services

[Ajit P]

Dear Vijay mam,

I agree that we librarians are above GOOGLE and its goggling-effect..Technology is just a medium for we people to do our routine jobs of the library with a minimal error free method..Technology will never win over humans. We should love to play with technological applications then only we cultivate an good environment with the so called technology and humans..

I too have a phone with lot of applications in it... but whenever I replace my phone with a latest /advanced one...I feel dull at first instance..Many of us are very techno-friendly and I heard about few libraries in the southern India that how they are making use of those content mgt software or online bibliographical databases to be with the users demand.. 

[Siddu]

Dear all,

Are we not living in an era where we talk of libraries not constrained by four walls or libraries without walls? Why then do we still talk of changing the ambience of the library to bring in users into the library!? We should strive to take library to anybody, anytime, anywhere. We should strive for quick, prompt, pin-pointed accurate information to the right users, in the right proportion at the right time in the right personal way, if we as a librarians (cybrarians) are to remain relevant to our users in the digital environment. So we need to sharpen our foci (understanding the needs of our customers), our skill sets (inter personal, personal, professional), our tools to serve our users better.

[Ajit P]

Dear Siddu,
It was nice to read your comments relating my post. Ya, I agree with you for what you said that we are living in this digital era..before joining this library, I worked in 9 t0 12 different libraries and while their at job, I studied the users expectation plus the managerial thoughts by the mgt of the colleges. Every1 wanted best libraries and that to for no expenditure on these libraries.. I started sms facility to staff by giving news about latest arrivals of jounals in 2008. I agree what you said that we are now far more better than traditional world.

Actually we libraries are greedy of appraisal from users. Tools are many. ..some prosperity tools and others free or open source.. but I believe to learn all softwares/databases/ tools you need to loosen your pockets or else you must be expertise in ict environment.
Management never spend too much on librarians..