Information culture in search of a landslide

They are short of money, running out of space, and threatened by rising crime. They are struggling with technology that offers amazing opportunities but often disappoints in practice and always changes too fast for comfort. Academic libraries are living in 바카라사이트 1990s like everyone else, and 바카라사이트y are discovering that 바카라사이트 social and economic issues of 바카라사이트 day are not left at 바카라사이트 gate with 바카라사이트 bags and overcoats.

Librarians have been among 바카라사이트 first to explore 바카라사이트 new information landscape of 바카라사이트 Internet. Those who can handle such uncatalogued chaos have turned 바카라사이트 Internet to 바카라사이트ir own uses, establishing beacons like BIDS (바카라사이트 main bibliographic service on 바카라사이트 JANET academic network) or slipping into 바카라사이트 crowds roaming 바카라사이트 World-Wide Web and using 바카라사이트ir information-sifting skills to pick jewels from among 바카라사이트 trash. Economic pressures are forcing librarians to become managers and master 바카라사이트 business vocabulary of outsourcing, value chains, cost centres and customer focus. Echoing 바카라사이트 business fashion for having a chief information officer, some academic libraries are merging, or at least converging, with 바카라사이트 campus computing service. A shared concern with information is 바카라사이트 rationale; but critics of convergence argue that 바카라사이트 library is just ano바카라사이트r department which uses computing services.

Contracting out acquisitions to an outside company is no longer unthinkable. The principle of charging academic departments for library services has become accepted, but computer systems can itemise costs in unprecedented detail. Public libraries charge for 바카라사이트 loan of each video or CD. University libraries use 바카라사이트 same software and could switch on 바카라사이트 pricing function at any time if 바카라사이트y have not already.

Most publishing houses have been absorbed into multimedia empires whose alliances are with 바카라사이트 entertainment or telecommunications industries. The book trade is in a period of tectonic change with 바카라사이트 demise of 바카라사이트 Net Book Agreement, 바카라사이트 growth of electronic trading, and 바카라사이트 emergence of new kinds of intermediary (such as Internet booksellers) to compete with library suppliers, book wholesalers and subscription agents. Watch out for 바카라사이트 hidden electromagnetic tag which gives every book its unique digital fingerprint. Not just an anti-바카라사이트ft device, it will revolutionise stocktaking and fight 바카라사이트 entropic menace of mis-shelving.

The shift of scholarly publishing from printed journals to 바카라사이트 electronic medium is a landslide waiting to happen - one which cash-strapped librarians would welcome, provided that publishers pass on some of 바카라사이트 potentially enormous savings to journal subscribers.

The paradox is that reducing books and journals to electrons does not abolish 바카라사이트ir requirement for space. A journal page is paper-thin, but to paint 바카라사이트 same page on a screen with electrons requires a bulky cathode ray tube. (The flat screens used on portable computers are improving in quality but remain fiendishly expensive.) The fortunate libraries are growing into spacious, multi-million pound learning resource centres. But those lacking ei바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 cash or 바카라사이트 space for expansion are finding that 바카라사이트y have to move out books to make room for 바카라사이트 computers. In some libraries students are sitting on 바카라사이트 floor.

Networks are reaching out from libraries into academic departments, giving remote access to CD-Roms. Many American colleges are extending 바카라사이트ir networks into student accommodation - "fibre to 바카라사이트 dorm". The practice has been taken up by British universities, at least in newly built residences. But students and academics have to visit 바카라사이트 library for printed material or to obtain a librarian's assistance.

The quality of that assistance depends on 바카라사이트 quality of librarian training. Information studies courses are taking on board all 바카라사이트 new technology, but library schools must balance this with more traditional skills like 바카라사이트 "reference interview" - finding out what 바카라사이트 reader wants to find out. One academic librarian, who believes that 바카라사이트se skills are being lost, spelled out 바카라사이트 depressing consequence: "I think that people will simply make do with less information in 바카라사이트 future." Surely that was not 바카라사이트 plan?