Transcript Libr perspective - School of Communication and Information
Libraries, library services & library public
Historical perspective & evolutionary trends Tefko Saracevic, Rutgers University 1
Explore:
What are libraries all about?
What role did they play & are playing in: SOCIETY, HUMAN AFFAIRS, HUMAN COMMUNICATION?
Tefko Saracevic, Rutgers University 2
Role
Library ...”contributes to the total communication system in society.” “Though the library is an instrumentality created to maximize the utility of graphic record for the benefit of society, it achieves that goal by working with the individual, & through the individual it reaches society.” Jesse H. Shera, 1972 Tefko Saracevic, Rutgers University 3
Library ...
Devoted to organization, preservation & use of human knowledge records Not only as a particular inf. system, but also as an
social, cultural & educational
institution throughout human history across boundaries of culture, nations & times Tefko Saracevic, Rutgers University 4
Role of libraries in:
Culture Knowledge & scholarship Organization of knowledge Education Governance Popular access Communication & use of information Tefko Saracevic, Rutgers University 5
Culture
Permanence & preservation essential for continuity of a culture Libraries provide memory external to any individual Also provide for unity Convenient storage & utilization Preservation of records & artifacts of knowledge from graphic to images & sounds Tefko Saracevic, Rutgers University 6
Knowledge, scholarship
Idea of collecting world’s knowledge in one place Alexandria Library, British Library, Library of Congress Libraries fundamental for scholarly work, research Model of librarian as a scholar vs. professional Selection vs. all inclusive ‘knowledge most worth having’ Tefko Saracevic, Rutgers University 7
Organization
Availability inventory of a collection of many collections - union catalog of writings - bibliography librarian as bibliographer Access bibliographic organization subject organization classification, indexing ...
Arrangement physical arrangements intellectual arrangements Tefko Saracevic, Rutgers University 8
Education
Early connection between academic education & libraries started as “book stationaries” Indispensable today Popular education & libraries American public library movement Children & libraries Growth of school media centers Tefko Saracevic, Rutgers University 9
Governance
Earliest libraries: rulers, courts Depositories of laws, regulations, decrees Copyright - intellectual rights Dissemination of inf. by government Use in political processes Intellectual freedom constant battle, controversy Tefko Saracevic, Rutgers University 10
Communication & use
Related to organizations, disciplines, businesses support of their mission Special libraries & inf. centers Information explosion growth of inf. industry Communication explosion growth of networks Changing orientation to access & use Tefko Saracevic, Rutgers University 11
Popular access
From Romans: facilities for everyone seeking knowledge “made the talents of men property of all” Orientation to group of users active seeking wider audience local identity, structure Modern library emerged at the end of 19 cent.
continues to this day but also in transition Tefko Saracevic, Rutgers University 12
Post-industrial, post capitalist society - change
"The basic economic resource is no longer capital, nor natural resources (the economist’s “land”) nor "labor." It is and will be knowledge. . Value is now created by "productivity" and "innovation," both applications of knowledge to work. The leading social group of the knowledge society will be "knowledge workers" knowledge executives who know how to allocate knowledge to productive use, knowledge professionals, knowledge employees." Drucker, 1994 Tefko Saracevic, Rutgers University 13
Transitional challenges
Inf. increasing in value
not
automatic increase in value of library & inf. services in present configuration & structure Changes in models from ‘just-in-case’ to ‘just-in time’ to ‘just-for-you’ access becomes paramount electronic resources & networks Tefko Saracevic, Rutgers University 14
Transitional challenges (cont.)
New ‘players’ in inf. serv.
increased competition growing competition for funds Needs for justification & evaluation of results From users & use perspectives What provided? What value?
Tefko Saracevic, Rutgers University 15
On the horizon
Evolving a ‘new’ library beyond the modern one Digital libraries Effect of technology Through open access create libraries for individuals individual selection & access create private spaces Librarian as enabler Importance of knowing how individuals use information Tefko Saracevic, Rutgers University 16