Collection management
Libraries are often defined by their collections. Collection management is a major component of any Library and Information Science (LIS) degree program. In
addition to books, newspapers, magazines, and audio-visual content, library resources
in the 21st century are significantly enhanced by new digital formats, which
allow libraries to enhance their offerings without costly physical renovations.
Below are some of the collection management innovations being used to make
enormous amounts of information accessible to all:
Electronic resource management (ERM): With an increasing
selection of eBooks, eJournals, and the like, a vast amount of information is
now available digitally. ERM helps librarians keep track of what is and isn’t available (both
in terms of accessibility and authorization), who is accessing it, and what
particular items people find most useful. All of this facilitates both
collection development and management.
Cloud computing: Just as libraries’ services have
expanded to include access to computers and the internet, library collections
are now significantly enhanced by cloud computing, which increases the sheer amount of digital
information libraries can make available to their patrons (and which doesn’t
have to be physically stored anywhere).
Federated search (FS): Similar in concept to cloud
computing, federated search allows users to hunt for information
spread across various databases in different locations using only one
interface. It enables the virtual consolidation of information resources
without the hassle of actual physical consolidation, making research that much
easier.
Internet-of-Things (IoT): If connectivity is one of the
hallmarks of our time, the Internet-of-Things could be our era’s poster child.
Devices that can communicate with other devices have proven very useful as a
form of library technology, not only because of the ramifications for the
library space itself (such as maintaining consistent air quality), but also for
initiatives like self-checkout, automated material handling systems,
auto-recommendation services, and metadata
discovery tools.
User Engagement
Beyond all other considerations, the main function of a
library is to help inform and improve the lives of its patrons. It’s a
testament to the power of libraries that they have continued to do so even
as so many other distractions are now available. One of the
reasons libraries have succeeded is that they have embraced technological
progress. Hopefully, we will always have library stacks full of knowledge to
wander through, but the following tech developments have been added to engage
users:
Digital displays: There’s certainly nothing wrong with
an old-fashioned sign, printed out or scrawled in pen or chalk that tells
patrons where they need to go to find what they need. But think of how many
eyes may be drawn to a digital display, complete with graphics and the ability to
scroll through multiple announcements. So much attention is paid to digital
screens these days—why not fill at least one of them with something that could
lead to a real library adventure?
Gamification/augmented reality: To anyone who would
scoff at the idea of a library visit being an adventure, we present the
following two innovations. Game activities that foster reading and augmented
reality spots that patrons can access through their devices
encourage reading, research, and learning.
Makerspaces: If the ultimate goal of a library is not
simply to provide the individual with information, but also to help them to
think of how they might use that information, why not provide them with a space
in the library where they can put their ideas to the test? This idea informs
the current proliferation of library makerspaces, which are just what they sound like:
spaces where people can make things with the help of machines furnished by the
library.
User-focused interface (UFI)/artificial intelligence: UFI,
like makerspaces and gamification/AR, seeks to forge a stronger connection
between the patron and the library space by personalizing their interaction.
This most often is achieved through such AI innovations as chatbots that can
address a patron’s needs and help them navigate unfamiliar territory in digital
libraries and other open-access systems. This sort of library automation also
frees up librarians for other tasks, leading to greater efficiency.
Big data and data visualization: Consolidating
information in a way that makes it less overwhelming represents an important innovation for our current system. Through the
use of visual aids like maps, graphs, and charts, vast amounts of data stored
in information systems around a particular topic can be presented so that the
user can more easily find and access exactly what they need.
Mobile-based library services: Much of what is discussed
above is about relating the library’s physical space to its users. But what
about those who can’t necessarily visit the library? There are mobile apps that
allow patrons to access a library’s user services remotely through their
smartphones. These are often paired with learning management systems that support self-paced
online courses by administering, tracking, and documenting a learning plan.
Security
It’s almost quaint now to think of the days when some people
were reluctant to give out personal information to a library for fear of whose
hands it might fall into. (The maintenance crew, perhaps?) With libraries
becoming increasingly reliant on technology and digital interaction, the
problem of secure information is astronomically larger than it was when all you
had to worry about was the wrong person rifling through a drawer full of index
cards. Here are a few innovations that are helping libraries maintain security:
Single sign-on: This is an automatic authorization
system through which a user, once verified, needs only click on a single link
to access the system. Not only does this negate the need for more complicated
verification processes, single
sign-on makes the patron/library experience more personalized
by using the same tech that identifies the user to “remember” what information
services that user most often employs.
Radio-frequency identification: This technology permits
libraries to use radio waves to tag and track items from the institution’s collection. Not
only does this increase the security around making sure that the library’s
inventory isn’t pilfered, but it also streamlines the check-out/check-in
process for patrons and allows librarians to quickly determine whther an item
is available or out on loan.
Libraries of the future: what to expect
Libraries were already well on their way to increasing the
percentage of their collections that are digital and available remotely,
but the pandemic accelerated that effort. We can expect to see
public libraries’ digital collections continue to expand, as many library
patrons prefer to access library materials in this manner.
The pandemic also reinforced the library’s role as a vital
community resource, with some libraries working with local social service organizations to assist
their patrons with issues such as food security, job searches, substance abuse,
mental health care, and housing. As libraries continue to look for ways to
transform their spaces, expect to see more of this kind of outreach.
Of course, technology will continue to be an important part
of future libraries, due in part to the expansion of augmented reality and
artificial intelligence. While many people now interact with chatbots online
when they need help, expect to see a move towards incorporating actual robotics
into library systems, something that is already happening in some places.
Finally, in tandem with their involvement in social work,
libraries are likely to become increasingly involved in ongoing efforts toward
social justice. Indeed, according to the American Library Association (ALA), libraries have already
played a significant role in creating digital equity, through such
opportunities as expanded computer labs for those who can’t afford to buy their
machines, the provision of WiFi signals that offer 24/7 free internet access to
the surrounding area, and offering both physical and virtual job and employment
resources.
These new trends in library and information science translate
into ever-increasing access to greater amounts of information for everyone, and
more and better ideas as to what can be done with that information—all of
which, hopefully, leads to better served and more cohesive communities.
Although we can probably rest assured that some things will never change.
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