IJLIS 06 04 001

International Journal of Library & Information Science (IJLIS) Volume 6, Issue 4, July–August 2017, pp. 1–7, Article ID: IJLIS_06_04_001 Available online at http://www.iaeme.com/IJLIS/issues.asp?JType=IJLIS&VType=6&IType=4 Journal Impact Factor (2016): 8.2651 (Calculated by GISI) www.jifactor.com ISSN Print: 2277-3533 and ISSN Online: 2277-3584 © IAEME Publication IMPACT OF DIGITAL ERA ON ACADEMIC LIBRARIES: IT’S PLAY WITH LIBRARY PROFESSIONALS Shivakumar G.T., MLISc., UGC NET., K-SLET., PGDHRM IIM Bangalore, India ABSTRACT This article an effort to define the changing dynamic role of the academic library professionals in digital library environment. It gives an introductory background of the digital era which impacts on the changes occurring in the academic libraries. It describes about the indicative role of the emerging trends in information services that the librarians play in the academic libraries. Finally, it presents the vision of the new generation; the challenges facing implementation of the digital libraries and to review the problems faced by the librarians in the academic libraries in new digital era. Key words: Dynamic Role, Library Professionals, Digital Library, Indicative Role, Emerging Trends, Perspective, Challenges, Academic Libraries, Digital Era. Cite this Article: Shivakumar G.T Impact of Digital Era on Academic Libraries: It’s Play with Library Professionals. International Journal of Library & Information Science, 6(4), 2017, pp. 1–7. http://www.iaeme.com/IJLIS/issues.asp?JType=IJLIS&VType=6&IType=4 1. OBJECTIVES To make perspective of the academic library professionals To ascertain the challenges facing the implementation of digital libraries To review the problems faced by the academic librarians in new digital era To make aware about the changing role of the academic library professionals To discuss the indicative role of emerging trends in library services 2. INTRODUCTION Libraries play different roles for different people. Libraries have transformed from places where students go to find books. To some, a library is a place to read books; be furnished with the current news from up-to-date newspapers; to do research; a place to access or share information in response to a particular need etc. Now-a-days, libraries and librarians play an important role in providing access to information, organizing it, and helping users to find the information they need. With the passing of time and the rapid developments in information technology, the new ways of communication have taken effect and the ways in which information was previously handled, stored and disseminated have been altered. The changes http://www.iaeme.com/IJLIS/index.asp 1 [email protected] Shivakumar G.T going on today create an opportunity and a necessity for a transformation in the education system. New technologies bring many opportunities, changes and challenges to the academic libraries and library professionals. In this era of internet, librarians have the same job but they will have to do it differently. Now-a-days, electronic media such as CDs, DVDs, microfilms, and videotapes etc. are replacing the physical forms of library documents. Transforming to eBooks, e-journals taking place of journals, digital manuscripts, and various other documents in electronic form as the information resources of a library. All these transformations demand the academic library professionals to shift from the traditional library system to the digital libraries. Academic library professionals cannot neglect the changing face of the libraries and need to conform to the digital library environment. The conversion of the traditional library collections to the digital library collections, the ready availability of information on the internet and its widespread use really present the academic library professionals with an opportunity not a threat to play an active role in order to serve the information society in a better way than before. Information is growing at a very high speed each and every day. Academic library professionals need to acquire such knowledge and skills as the library and information profession is a highly IT influenced profession. The role of the academic library professionals has changed in this digital era; it is therefore inevitable for us as the academic library professionals to acquire skills for developing and maintaining the digital libraries. Digital libraries have changed the way in which information is acquired, stored and accessed. Digital libraries are changing the concept of the librarian, their collection and services. Various new terms as digital libraries, digital librarian, libraries without walls, virtual libraries, hybrid libraries etc. have emerged to describe the libraries of digital era. The aim of the library and information science profession has always been to provide the users the access to the required information at right time. Dr. S. R. Ranganathan- The father of library and information science in India stated that, “Librarianship is a noble profession. A librarian derives his joy by seeing the dawn of joy in the face of readers, helped by him to find the right book at the right time.” To accomplish this goal, in the present digital library era, itis essential that academic library professionals are well trained and possess requisite knowledge and skills in this respect. We are entering the digital library and librarians have to use the changing technology to provide the best access and service to their users. Academic library professionals of digital era should have the knowledge of information resources like e-books, e-papers, knowledge about the internet, online libraries and should have excellent communication skills, should constantly update personal knowledge base on keeping in touch with the latest development. 3. PERSPECTIVE Technology will continue to change, and the academic libraries and librarians have to use the changing technology to provide the best access and service to their users. IT enhances access to information and provides new opportunities for the academic libraries. The academic libraries themselves are not only equipped with the various IT based resources but also provide their users with IT based services. The academic library's role could include: create, manage and make available a broad range of instructional materials to support teaching activities. Keeping up with the new trends in ICT is also a paramount importance. LIS professional need vision for the modern professional skills and technological competencies in order to have bright future in the 21st century. So, the essential future vision of the academic library professional is to achieve the necessary information transformation and to face the digital information needs of the user; which should concentrate on the following: To create a library and information Centre to provide web based quality information service to the user in time in the digital environment; To change the library http://www.iaeme.com/IJLIS/index.asp 2 [email protected] Impact of Digital Era on Academic Libraries: It’s Play with Library Professionals environment as the pathways to high quality information in a variety of electronic media and the information sources; To assert their evolving roles in more pro-active ways, both in the context of their academic institutions and in the context of increasing competitive markets for the information dissemination and retrieval; To offer the electronic teaching and learning as the education leaders; they should shape the library programme and serve as a tool for the library media specialists to use to shape the learning of students in the academic institutions. 4. EMERGING TRENDS Before discussing on the vision and the challenges of the academic library professionals in the digital era, let's look at the indicative role of the emerging trends in information services that the academic librarians play in the libraries and discussed in the most recent literature of the library and information management. All these trends have been enabled by the technological developments in the area of networking, file storage and more graphic user interface. These current trends somehow or rather will have a bearing in shaping the academic library professionals in the digital era. They are summarized as follows: A vision towards the information and knowledge rich society; Librarians are designated as cyber librarians; Multimedia and the graphics interfacing with text; Mushrooming of the information system management; Publishers direct information retrieval to the users; Rapid growth is the network based delivery of the scholarly information; Specialized knowledge and skills in the library and information management; Trends to develop the digital contents to facilitate access; Trends are towards network based publishing and accessing the information; Users are less dependent on the academic library for current information; Web is becoming the more preferred user interface; Customer-focused / customer-centered, user oriented approach in provision of services; Ease of access from the user point of view; Integrated and the widespread ICT applications; Access role of the academic library replace custodial role; Competency- based assessment / training 5. DYNAMIC ROLE The role of the academic library professionals is totally changed in this digital environment from librarian to information manager / knowledge manager. To satisfy the information need to user at maximum extent by library source or by out sourcing is the main goal of the library. In the digital era, to survive and become successful for an academic librarian, timely updating of skills and techniques are necessary. The role of the academic librarian in the digital era is to promote access to appropriate and accurate information to serve the needs of users. This has been the librarian's mission for generations. However, the digital era has made this mission much more challenging and complex. It has also demanded that the academic librarians and library support staff bring or develop new technical skills to promote information access. The technology revolution has brought many changes to the way for the academic librarians and library staff to manages their day and provide the information to users. http://www.iaeme.com/IJLIS/index.asp 3 [email protected] Shivakumar G.T We are in the digital era; the primary role of the information in this era is in many digital cases. The primary means of sharing information is the digital network. With the digital technology, information in various formats - text, audio, video and electronic formats, which can be created, stored, organized, accessed and transmitted with relative ease, and in forms that we could not have thought of earlier. The digital era has brought about many changes to the academic libraries. In every area activity in the academic library changes and has made the aware of the changing roles. In the 21st century, everyone is going through many occupational changes to face the future challenges. ICT has transformed the role of not only academic libraries but also the academic library professionals in the changing environment in which they now work. The automation of the library, the use of CD-ROM's and the internet has dramatically changed the role of the academic library professionals, making their job more demanding. The changing role of the academic library professional implies a set of updated skills needed for facing the challenges created by latest web technologies in the digital environment. Areas where the changing role of the librarian can be specifically identified include: Dealing with the user enquiries in the new digital era Working with the technical staff Selection of the e-resources Training required on more information skills Organizing the information landscape Implementation of the educational technology and the learning environments Working with the project teams Changes from the traditional to digital environment More emphasis on the liaison with users Advocacy of the collections Adopting of the new and the changing roles 6. CHALLENGES Establishing a digital library without refreshing the information technology and information retrieval skills of the academic library professionals is a difficult task. The adoption of the eresources has made great advantage over the library services. In fact, most of the users are satisfied with such facilities since they can easily retrieve their required information within a short period of time. There is lack of such expertise in working librarians. All participants viewed it as a major challenge. However, libraries face a number of the challenges as they seek to continue offering the high level of the services that users have come to expect. Some of the challenges facing with e-resources management are discussed below: A. Shortage of library funds: ICT demand more funds for its infrastructure and continuing services. Most of the libraries have inadequate fund for acquiring e-resources and so the users do not get their needy information at the right time. Therefore, shortage of library fund to establish and run the same is challenges were identified for implementation of the digital libraries. B. Technical infrastructure: In a digital information service system, infrastructure such as software, hardware, internet facilities and other physical equipment’s are required to provide easier, faster and comprehensive access to information. Absence of stable technical network infrastructures in terms of servers, physical cabling and wireless access points are challenges were identified for implementation of the digital libraries. http://www.iaeme.com/IJLIS/index.asp 4 [email protected] Impact of Digital Era on Academic Libraries: It’s Play with Library Professionals C. Lack of professional skills: Due to lack of management and technical skills, the academic library professionals are not able to handle the e-resources. Therefore, shortages of the professional skilled personnel who can establish or run digital library are challenges were identified for implementation of the digital libraries. D. Online / virtual crimes and security: Web/cybercrimes have become a common threat on internet. To overcome this issue, compulsory Virus Proof procedures should be adopted while downloading e-information from any other system. To secure the system from viruses, the databases can be modified by hacker proof procedures. Separate login and password systems are to be compulsorily adapted to the Network systems. To overcome the above database security problems and issues, it is essential to install a database security software or firewall technology to protect the databases. E. Privacy / confidentiality: Maintaining privacy and confidentiality is another problem in accessing online information. To control pirating of software, copying or downloading all the contents of any e-resource at a time, right to obtain information and right to withhold or ban the access is essential and so there is a delicate challenge between privacy and rights to information. Protecting one network from another to maintain confidentiality of information is another problem insecuring databases on Internet and Intranet. F. Lack of co-operation of staff members: The support and cooperation of staff members, programmers and technicalstaff are very essential to provide effective service in a digital environment. As such, the library staff should not only betechnically competent but should also user-friendly-approach. Lack of co-operation between staff members are alsoidentified as challenges for implementation of the digital libraries. G. Copyright issues: Large scale of piracy of software and plagiarism is an important issue that the present day the academiclibrary professionals are facing in providing electronic/digital information service. The cost and timeliness in retrieving the information are also considered. When negotiating access with a publisher, the librarian must agree to certain restrictions on photocopying or distribution of electronic materials. The library is responsible for maintaining the awareness of all users about copyright issues. H. Collection of e-resources: Collecting the materials and making it available to all current and future users is another core value of librarianship. The challenge is for the librarian to contribute to establish realistic collection-development policies covering acquisition of and provision of access to electronic resources for users now and in the future. A digitized collection means that libraries share the use of the collections with other institutions, not only locally, but also globally. It is the publisher who dictates how much access will be provided, which issues will be available, and how much that access will cost. I. Lack of clarity in perspective: The biggest challenge that the librarians are facing in the knowledge society, seems to be the lack of clarity in vision and a general lack of the direction. A general vision is needed and the general integrated plan should be shared among the academic library professional, which should bring unity of purpose. The academic library professional should become capacity builders and facilitators to the knowledge society. J. Organizational structure: Technology has broken down the rigid hierarchical structure of the organizations which is another important issue in changing the roles of the librarian in the knowledge society. Far from emulating the organization of conventional libraries, the organization and structure of digital libraries, and the division of labour within them, are open to considerable experimentation. http://www.iaeme.com/IJLIS/index.asp 5 [email protected] Shivakumar G.T 7. CONCLUSIONS Libraries are an integral part of the knowledge society that surrounds it. Academic librarians need to recognize the changes that have already taken place in the libraries, and to be aware of the ways in which broader societal change are affecting libraries. Change is the law of nature. Library profession is no exception in this regard. The library is first and foremost a service. Its primary mission is to support the learning, teaching and research activity of its parent institution by providing access to information resources. Librarian system is one effective way in which these aims can be achieved by ensuring that the library remains user centered. Librarian provides one interface between the users' needs and the library. Today's academic library professionals are not the mere custodians of documents but they are the information personnel. We as library professionals cannot ignore the changing library environment, and need to adopt ourselves to the digital library era. Knowledge of information technology is the key in this facet. We know that all the library professionals are not computer specialists and it is also not possible for library professionals to go back to the library schools in order to learn about the latest developments in the electronic information environment. Training can be imparted to the library professionals about the latest developments taking place in the field of library and information science. To handle and utilize the modern communication facilities library professionals should have the knowledge and skills regarding the technologies and communication channels and must get the proper training. Short-term courses, refresher courses, workshops, seminars etc would help the existing library professionals to do justice with the extremely demanding and changing library profession. As a professional of the digital library era one should have a sound knowledge of internet, and the information resources that are available on internet e.g. e-books, e-journals, online libraries, full text databases etc. Digital library era has already begun and we the library professionals have to express our identity by acquiring the requisite knowledge and skills and providing the right information to the user at the right time, which in fact has been our motto from ever since. Library professionals must strive; struggle for knowledge about new technologies that will be needed to provide responsive library information services to the users in the 21st century. REFERENCES [1] Matto, G., &Bwabo, M. (2012). Prospects of digital libraries in enhancing academic materials access: A survey oflibraries in higher learning institutions in Kilimanjaro region. Proceedings and Report of the 5th UbuntuNet AllianceAnnual Conference, 102-117. [2] Mayega, S. (2008, October 20-22). 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