HOW AND WHY LIBRARIES ARE CHANGING

or

Changing Face of Librarianship from

Pinakes to Digital

Prof. N.R. Satyanarayana

 CHANGE IS THE LAW OF
NATURE

Every thing in the world, in the Nature

are bound to change.
It is the Change that never changes.
Change is the only thing in the world
that is constant.
But, everything else changes.
LIS IS NO EXCEPTIONTO THIS
RULE (CHANGE)

Earlier we had clay tablets (Brick-like-

material) as Reading material and now we
have digitalized material (retrieved by
using clicks)
So the journey of the library may be
termed as Bricks to Clicks.
As the material gets changed; so does the
services in libraries.
 EMERGING TECHNOLOGIIES
(CHANGES)

We are all exposed to Emerging

Technologies, i.e., changes.
When I was student in 1960s, libraries
were paper based and the services were
traditional.
When I was student of Library Science,
(early 1970s) we were exposed to
documents in microforms, documentation,
Indexing, Abstracting.
 CHANGES IN LIS (HISTORICAL
PERSPECTIVE)
CHANGES IN RELATED
PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENTS IN
MATERIAL RETRIEVAL
TECHNIQUES
Early reading material Scholar librarians
such as pinakes, Clay usually depended on
tablets, Parchment, memory.
Vallum, bark of trees, Limited collections
Palm leaves, confined to royals,
Papyrys, etc. rich religious
institutions.
CHANGES IN PHYSICAL RELATED
MATERIAL DEVELOPMENTS IN
RETRIEVAL
TECHNIQUES
Paper, Printing and
Books:
Paper was invented in Still books were limited
11th Century in China, but called incunabula.
rest of the world came to Scholars were the
know only in 13h Century moving catalogues.
 CHANGES IN RELATED
PHYSICAL MATERIAL DEVELOPMENTS IN
RETRIEVAL
TECHNIQUES

Printing press was Production of Books

invented in the mid became easy
16th century
 CHANGES IN
PHYSICAL MATERIAL
Movable letter presses and
changes in social structure
such as democracy and sovern
states, resulting in the demand
for books.
RELATED
DEVELOPMENTS IN
RETRIEVAL
TECHNIQUES
Need arose for libraries with
large collections.
This resulted for Librarianship as
a profession.
Librarians were still scholars and
were mostly depending on
memory for retrieval. Often
prepared list of books (What we
now call catalogues)
 CHANGES IN RELATED
PHYSICAL MATERIAL DEVELOPMENTS IN
RETRIEVAL
TECHNIQUES

18th and 19th century Classification

saw the production of cataloguing dominated
large number of as two techniques of
books. Industrial information retrieval.
revolution resulted in
increase in literacy
and demand for book.
Libraries was created
for the benefit of
citizens.
 CHANGES IN
PHYSICAL MATERIAL
In the early 20th century Documentation techniques
Periodical/publications
and serials come to seem
as quicker and faster
means of information
transfer.
RELATED
DEVELOPMENTS IN
RETRIEVAL
TECHNIQUES
Indexing, abstracting, CAS,
SDI were invented for
information retrieval.
 CHANGES IN RELATED
PHYSICAL MATERIAL DEVELOPMENTS IN
RETRIEVAL
TECHNIQUES

After the wars

Microforms, Microfilms, Documentation

Micro-fiche, Micro cards techniques- Indexing,
Video-audio tapes. abstracting, CAS, SDI
were invented for
information retrieval.
 CHANGES IN RELATED
PHYSICAL MATERIAL DEVELOPMENTS IN
RETRIEVAL
TECHNIQUES

1960S Onwards

Computer Readable Creation of large data

Material floppy, CDS and bases, on-line retrieval.
other e-documents, net
worked libraries, etc. Public access system,
etc.
 CHANGES IN RELATED
PHYSICAL MATERIAL DEVELOPMENTS IN
RETRIEVAL
TECHNIQUES

1990s Onwards

Production of documents Access to information

were made easy by DTP. was made quick due to
Distribution of documents Internet, where
and Information was
information is being
made very easy and
quickly by ICT accessed through
URLs.
 CHANGES IN RELATED
PHYSICAL MATERIAL DEVELOPMENTS IN
RETRIEVAL
TECHNIQUES

The Scenario till 2005

Digital libraries MARC-21

On-line access to remote Meta data elements of
databases through LAN,
Dublin-core workshop..
WAN, MAN.
Increased use of Social
network.
 CHANGES IN PHYSICAL RELATED DEVELOPMENTS
MATERIAL IN RETRIEVAL TECHNIQUES

The present scenario (2005

onwards)
Blogs Their applications in libraries are
Wikis varied.
These trends are seen not only in
Podcasts,
academic libraries, but at varying
Web Conferencing degrees in Public, school, business
RFID and other types of libraries.
Instant messaging Retrieval of information is by using
Twitter multi-pronged approach often called
Information Management and/o
Face Book
Knowledge Management
Virtual reference Service
Cloud computing, etc.
 CHANGES IN RELATED DEVELOPMENTS IN
PHYSICAL MATERIAL RETRIEVAL TECHNIQUES

The future The Impact

Mobile Computing Library & Information service activities
Open content are anticipated to be affected greatly. The
Second adoption horizon recent Computers in Libraries
electronic books Conference (April 12-14, Arlington,
Simple augmented reality Virginia) foresees the following likely
developments:-
Gesture base computing
Leading-Edge Technology Tools for
Visual data analysis, etc. Libraries
Innovative Library Processes &
Practices
Information Discovery & Visualization
Next-Gen Catalogs & Digitization
Search Engines, Intranets & Portals
Strategies for Digital Information
Enterprises
 ROLE OF LIBRARIES IN THE
DIGITAL ERA

Provide access to information, ideas

and works of imagination in any
medium.
Serve as gateways to knowledge,
thought and culture
 ROLE OF LIBRARIES IN THE
DIGIITAL ERA

Contribute to the development and

maintenance of intellectual freedom and
help to safeguard democratic values and
universal civil rights.
Commit to offering access to relevant
resources and services without restriction
or any form of censorship.
 ROLE OF LIBRARIES IN THE
DIGITAL ERA

Acquire, preserve and make available the

widest variety of materials, reflecting the
plurality and diversity of society.
Select and provide library materials and
services with regard to professional
considerations and not to political, moral
and religious views.
 ROLE OF LIBRARIES IN THE
DIGITAL ERA

Make materials, facilities and services

equally accessible to all user.
Avoid discrimination for any reason,
including race, national or ethnic origin,
gender or sexual preference, age,
disability, religion, or political beliefs.
 ROLE OF LIBRARIES IN THE
DIGIITAL ERA

Protect each users right to privacy

and confidentiality with respect to
information sought or received and
resources consulted, borrowed,
acquired or transmitted.
LIBRARIANS AS INFORMATION
PROVIDERS

Due to Rapid developments of

communication technologies
Unprecedented opportunities for
librarians to enhance their role as
information providers, especially in
narrowing the digital divide.
 FACTORS INFLUENCING THE
ROLE OF LIBRARIANS

Contract law (licensing agreements)

versus copyright law.

The pricing of digital content by vendors.

The preservation of digital information.

 LIS PROFESSIONALS: BE THE
CHANGE

Library & Information Professionals must

themselves be the change in the ever
changing scenario of library & information
service activities.
Other wise, our profession will remain a
Twentieth Century profession.
THANK YOU