OCLC Report: Content, Not Containers
Libraries must adapt to changes in content formats. It used to be that libraries acquired content for "just-in-case" use by patrons. However, now libraries must provide content on an "as-needed" basis. This includes content in multiple formats, and the various formats are accessed through a variety of technologies. Since technology is always changing, libraries must be constantly changing as well. The most important skill for librarians, therefore, will be adaptability.
Information Literacy and Information Technology Literacy, by Clifford Lynch
It's interesting to note the importance of information literacy and information technology literacy as interrelated skills. The two forms of literacy are often portrayed in the news as being at odds. For example, I've occasionally seen reports in the nightly news that suggest the increase in texting by young people is inhibiting their ability to write well and to read and comprehend anything not shortened and abbreviated in the extreme. It's refreshing in contrast to be presented with a view that counters those reports. Lynch notes that these two forms of literacy are vital in the information age, and librarians must be prepared to embrace literacy as necessary components of their profession.
Lied Library, by Jason Vaughan
This article reveals how challenging it is for libraries to keep pace with constantly changing technology. Librarians must have both information literacy and information technology literacy, to borrow from Lynch's article. Librarians in essence must become lifelong learners since their profession constantly changes. Library budgets are also significantly affected by changes in technology. The purchase, installation, and maintenance of up-to-date technology is very expensive and time-consuming. Libraries used to guard books and card catalogs; now, libaries must maintain a vast number of resources, both in book and online form.
No comments:
Post a Comment