Emerging challenges in academic librarianship and role of library associations in professional updating
| Published date | 26 October 2010 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/01435121011093379 |
| Date | 26 October 2010 |
| Pages | 594-609 |
| Author | V.K. Thomas,Chitra Satpathi,J.N. Satpathi |
| Subject Matter | Library & information science |
Emerging challenges in academic
librarianship and role of library
associations in professional
updating
V.K. Thomas
West Bengal National University of Juridical Sciences, Kolkata, India
Chitra Satpathi
Muralidhar Girls’ College, Kolkata, India, and
J.N. Satpathi
Indian Association of Special Libraries & Information Centres, Kolkata, India
Abstract
Purpose – This paper aims to discuss the challenges posed by the contemporary library
environment, which are the results of ICT and the digital revolution, and call for developing new
competencies and skills as well as a new set of proficiencies. It also seeks to analyse the role of
professional bodies, especially in India, in preparing librarians to meet these challenges.
Design/methodology/approach – Part I of this paper on em erging trends in aca demic
librarianship at the global level has been consolidated from the literature that has discussed this
problem in various forums, and from personal experience. Part II principally assesses the role played
by library associations in preparing professionals to face the challenges offered by trends that emerge
from time to time. This is done with the aid of a case study of the Indian Association of Special
Libraries & Information Centres (IASLIC), Kolkata (India). A questionnaire and personal interviews
were utilised to gather information and opinions.
Findings – It is found that the modern academic librarian, besides the common attributes, should be
technology-savvy and eager to learn and adopt any technology development for the benefit of users.
Regular updating of professionals is sine qua non. In the Indian context, it is found that professional
bodies like IASLIC did play a yeoman’s role in bringing India to the forefront of global librarianship. It
is concluded that India does need a well-laid out policy and programmes of updating and equipping its
librarians continuously and can benefit from the experiences of ALA and CILIP.
Originality/value – This is the first time a study of IASLIC has been conducted from the angle of its
role in meeting the new challenges posed by ICT. This study should benefit all professional bodies in
India in their education programme.
Keywords Academic libraries,Librarianship, Professionaleducation,
Continuing professional development,India, Communication technologies
Paper type Research paper
1. Introduction
The paradigm shift triggered by application of ICT appears to be a common
phenomenon in the twenty-first century in respect of service sectors like banking,
insurance, railways, and airways. It has helped to improve and expand their
operations. This us all the more true in the case of library and information services.
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available at
www.emeraldinsight.com/0143-5124.htm
LM
31,8/9
594
Received 5 February 2010
Revised 10 April 2010
Accepted 1 May 2010
Library Management
Vol. 31 No. 8/9, 2010
pp. 594-609
qEmerald Group Publishing Limited
0143-5124
DOI 10.1108/01435121011093379
The emerging challenges posed by the contemporary environment are great in
number. These challenges are posed by the application of ICT, manifested in many
forms or notions, such as digital repositories, open access, user centric services
(e-learning, e-teaching, information literacy, orientation programmes), web-based
library services, the application of social networking, library cooperation (including
consortia), and legal issues. The scholarly community tries hard to adopt the existing
forms and catch up with the newer forms to facilitate their business of
learning/teaching. Librarianship, not to be left behind, as is the tradition, strives to
achieve new competencies and skills as well as exploring how these can be put into use
to further library and information services.
Besides the need to catch up with and exploit the facilities extended by the latest
technology for offering high quality service, there other is another compulsion , and one
of a fundamental nature: that of the constant cutting of costs (i.e. serving more with
less finance and fewer staff).
Academic librarians, as they are more exposed to the ever-vibrant scholarly
community, should be and are of necessity the torchbearers of the paradigm shift. The
following paragraphs will discuss the challenges posed by emerging trends and
technologies and examine their implications for academic librarianship.
2. Trends in the transformation of libraries
The transformation of libraries from storehouses to information institutions and later
to knowledge centres started with the Second World War. The world, especially the
Western part, was in a hurry to rebuild the devastated economy. The setting up of
massive number of new industries and the new discoveries attributed to that period
demanded a sudden thrust in publications in science and technology, which eventually
led to the so called “information explosion”. Libraries, quick to respond to these
sweeping demands, took a new avatar/birth in the form of information institutions,
drifting away from the traditional job of the servicing of books and documents to
supplying the information contained in them.
Initially, this service was confined to controlling and locating information, paving
the way for bibliographical services, abstracting services and indexing services,
whereby chaos in organisations and dissemination of the “flood of information” could
be overcome. Eventually, responding to the exponential growth and complexities of
information service, a shift from controlling tools to processed (condensed) information
took place, leading to the supply of information in ready-to-use form, known by various
names such as “evaluated information”, “analysed information”, “consolidated
information”, and “repackaged information”. Some of the products of this
development were reviews, trend reports, technical digests, and state-of-the-art
reports. In short, information workers sifted through large masses of data, collected
relevant data, reviewed each field and distilled information in such a manner that it
could be used by scientists/engineers without further analysis or evaluation.
This evolution led to the emergence of three trends:
(1) Information workers turni ng into information creators: information workers,
while collecting and analysing data, came across opportunities to deepen their
knowledge and create information as a by-product of their everyday work.
Emerging
challenges
595
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