Understanding Librarians in an IT age
| Pages | 49-54 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/eb040687 |
| Date | 01 February 1998 |
| Published date | 01 February 1998 |
| Author | David James Houghton |
| Subject Matter | Information & knowledge management |
Understanding
Librarians in an IT age
by David James Houghton, Project
Manager, International Institute for
Electronic Library Research
This article represents
a
personal view
of
the
changing role
of
the
librarian
in
today's 'high
tech'
age and
attempts
to
identify
the
type
of
skills required
for a
'modern'
librarian.
It
then attempts
to
identify
the
effect
of
technologies upon
the
library support
staff and
what levels
of
support
are
required
to
make
a
modern library
function.
This will highlight
the
growing need
for
trained
and
skilled staff
in
areas such
as
office
software,
Internet
awareness
and
local area
networking.
It
then attempts
to
explain
how
librarians,
support staff
and
users
are
at
odds with each
other
and
identifies significant factors that
require
to be
addressed
if
libraries
of
the
future
are
to
provide
the
services demanded
of
them.
The
conclusions
are
that
as
technology
evolves
the
demands upon librarians
and
support staff increase
exponentially.
While
technologies such
as
the WWW
improve
the
quantity
of
information
available,
there
is a
requirement
for
greater skills
in
information
and
resource
management.
Crucially these
resources include
people.
The High tech
age
At the beginning of the 1980's
a
revolution
oc-
curred that has dramatically affected
the
society
in
which
we
live. Many people are still blissfully
ignorant of this revolution despite
its
deep incur-
sion into our everyday lives. Lying
at
the epicenter
of this revolution
is
the modern library and
it is
here that some of the most profound effects
are to
be observed.
The information technology age
has
seen
the
development of three key areas that are significant
in any modern library. The PC,
the
local area
network and
the
World Wide Web. The PC
has
enabled
the
development of software of all types,
ranging from word processing and spreadsheets
to
databases and desk top publishing. The Local Area
Network has enabled PCs and workstations
to
share resources locally and
to
communicate with
each other,
and
further the development of soft-
ware such
as
email
and
file transfer. The World
Wide Web
has
enabled information held
on
com-
puters
to be
shared across the planet. Information
is now available instantly
to
anyone who knows
how
to
go about looking
for
it.
In
essence
a
world
library.
All this
has
happened
in
the fraction of a life time
and
so it
should
be no
surprise
to us
that
its
impact
has left many people contemplating the effect
of
these developments upon the way they work and
do business. The rate of change
is
ever increasing.
In order to cope with this change those people
involved
in
providing information services
as
well
as those people who use these services must adapt
to the new technologies.
As
libraries have been
the
traditional centers
of
information provision
it is
logical that they do,
and
will continue to, play
a
key role
in
this adaption process.
Although
the
library
is
constantly evolving and
adapting
to
technological changes
it
has done
so
though necessity rather than design. There
is
nothing new
in
this. Libraries have always
had to
adapt
to
the changing circumstances
of
information
providers and information users.
A
modern library
provides traditional 'paper' services
as
well
as a
whole range of electronic multi-media services,
such
as
CDs, video
and
audio. Technology
has
helped the library provide
a
sophisticated range
services,
yet in
order to
do
this successfully
it has
to either employ more staff or
to
train staff
in
the
plethora
of
IT
related fields. Resources are these
days focused
on
not only providing more informa-
tion but on helping maintain the technology that
allows access
to
information.
The role
of
the librarian
There are
a
number
of
universities and colleges
that now offer degree courses
in
Information
Sciences which
is
regarded
by
many potential
employers
as the
latter day name
for
Librarianship.
VINE 111
—
49
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