A nostalgic look back at library hi tech(nology)

Date20 March 2017
Published date20 March 2017
Pages92-98
DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1108/LHT-10-2016-0116
AuthorJoe Matthews
Subject MatterLibrary & information science,Librarianship/library management,Library technology,Information behaviour & retrieval,Information user studies,Metadata,Information & knowledge management,Information & communications technology,Internet
A nostalgic look back at library hi
tech(nology)
Joe Matthews
JRM Consulting Inc., Carlsbad, California, USA
Abstract
Purpose The purpose of this paper is to reflect on the history of information technology and computers in
libraries over the last 50 years.
Design/methodology/approach This paper represents a personal perspective and reflects the views and
opinions of the author. It is not intended to be an authoritative reporting of this history.
Findings This paper suggests that libraries were generally too shortsighted in their application of
informationtechnology and computing andsubmits that there are significantchallenges facing librariestoday.
Research limitations/implications No research was conducted.
Practical implications The author identifies several issues that libraries must confront in order that the
automated systems being implemented add value for staff members but most importantly for users of library
systems and services.
Social implications The paper suggests that libraries are facing a number of challenges based on a
historical review of how libraries have adopted and adapted to information technology over the past 50 years.
Originality/value This paper, due to its personal perspective, reflects an original viewpoint.
Keywords Information technology, Integrated library systems, Library management systems,
Computer-based systems, History of library automation, Impact of technology
Paper type Viewpoint
Introduction
We all have heard the refrain You have come a long wayand indeed we have if we look
back over the last 50 years or so at the rate at which technology has grown and evolved.
Clearly information technology has profoundly changed all aspects of organization life and
these changes are continuing today and will have an ever-increasing impact in the years to
come. Innovation and transformation of all types of libraries cannot be considered without
first acknowledging this broader context.
Preparing this brief essay allowed me the opportunity to review the back issues of
Library Hi Tech. This stroll down memory lane revealed to me that in general libraries got a
lot of things right and has been able to leverage the benefits of information technology in
many wonderful ways.
In the beginning, mainframe computers were slow, had limited capabilities, required
extensive air conditioning and were very expensive. As integrated circuits were introduced
and then significantly improved in an 18-month cycle, computers began to have more
processing power and their price was being lowered all the time due to competitive
pressures. As minicomputers and microcomputers were introduced and significantly
improved over time, computer-processing power became a commodity but this did not
happen overnight, its taken 30+years. Gordon Moore, one of the co-founders of Intel
(the integrated chip manufacturer) suggested that the processing power of a chip effectively
doubled every 18 months (this is now known as Moores Law). The exponential growth of
chip capacity is shown in Figure 1.
At the same time, the storage capacity of rotating disk drives was seemingly doubling every
few yearswhile the size of the diskdrive was being significantly reduced. Todaywe have very
affordable solid-state memory that has replaced, in many cases, the rotating disk drive.
The implications of Moores Law were rarely recognized so that few could imagine what
information technology would look like over the coming decades. For example, when I was
in graduate school (admittedly a long time ago) I had a great job of being a Teaching
Library Hi Tech
Vol. 35 No. 1, 2017
pp. 92-98
© Emerald PublishingLimited
0737-8831
DOI 10.1108/LHT-10-2016-0116
Received 30 October 2016
Accepted 26 November 2016
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available on Emerald Insight at:
www.emeraldinsight.com/0737-8831.htm
92
LHT
35,1

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