The volume deals with some of the most relevant issues related to the identity of the public library and its historical, cultural, social, organizational changes, according to a comparative perspective. The topics are covered in four sections (History, Present and Future of the Public Library; Models of Analysis, Measurement, Evaluation; Complexity Challenges; Work in Progress), thus providing a wide overview of the present and the future of an institution paramount in improving people’s lives
"In the past decade there has been an intense growth in the number of library publishing services supporting faculty and students. Unified by a commitment to both access and service, library publishing programs have grown from an early focus on backlist digitization to encompass publication of student works, textbooks, research data, as well as books and journals. This growing engagement with publishing is a natural extensions of the academic library's commitment to support the creation of and access to scholarship."--Back cover.
Public and university libraries are at a crossroads, hard-pressed by competition from Internet search engines, declining budgets and changes in popular culture. Libraries must respond aggressively. Otherwise they will be marginalized by the impact of digital technology on their traditional customer base. Author Ralph Blanchard, drawing on twenty years of experience as an information services entrepreneur, argues that it is irresponsible for librarians to simply turn academic tasks over to search engines, as many do. Instead, libraries should expand digital services and, using the tactics and strategies of successful for-profit information service businesses, reconnect with their customers by promoting themselves as 21st Century information experts. Topics in this wide-ranging study include: The library as a service business Change, risk and unintended consequences The Internet search engine business model Problems with students using search engines The evolution of "ambient information" Music and information technology "Millennials" as library customers Hiring and training library information workers Push and viral marketing strategies for libraries The Digital Challenge for Libraries calls for new initiatives by librarians and for a rekindling of interest in the vital role libraries play in an informed, prosperous and democratic society.
COVID-19 is profoundly affecting the ways in which we live, learn, plan, and develop. What does COVID-19 mean for the future of digital information use and delivery, and for more traditional forms of library provision? Libraries, Digital Information, and COVID gives immediate and long-term solutions for librarians responding to the challenge of COVID-19. The book helps library leaders prepare for a post-COVID-19 world, giving guidance on developing sustainable solutions. The need for sustainable digital access has now become acute, and while offering a physical space will remain important, current events are likely to trigger a shift toward off-site working and study, making online access to information more crucial. Libraries have already been providing access to digital information as a premium service. New forms and use of materials all serve to eliminate the need for direct contact in a physical space. Such spaces will come to be predicated on evolving systems of digital information, as critical needs are met by remote delivery of goods and services. Intensified financial pressure will also shape the future, with a reassessment of information and its commercial value. In response, there will be a massification of provision through increased cooperation and collaboration. These significant transitions are driving professionals to rethink and question their identities, values, and purpose. This book responds to these issues by examining the practicalities of running a library during and after the pandemic, answering questions such as: What do we know so far? How are institutions coping? Where are providers placing themselves on the digital/print and the remote/face-to-face continuums? This edited volume gives analysis and examples from around the globe on how libraries are managing to deliver access and services during COVID-19. This practical and thoughtful book provides a framework within which library directors and their staff can plan sustainable services and collections for an uncertain future. - Focuses on the immediate practicalities of service provision under COVID-19 - Considers longer-term strategic responses to emerging challenges - Identifies key concerns and problems for librarians and library leaders - Analyzes approaches to COVID-19 planning - Presents and examines exemplars of best practice from around the world - Offers practical models and a useful framework for the future
How are your library and its patrons adjusting to the challenges of the digital age? This essential book examines how digital formats are changing libraries today, from the perspectives of librarians, vendors, and library users. Editor Sul Lee is an internationally recognized leader in library administration and management. The expansion of digital collections has been one of the foremost issues in the library field since the early 1990s, and this book addresses important questions about the impact of the digital age. Questions like: How will scholars and students react to digital formats? How will electronic resources change collection development? Will libraries stop buying print materials in favor of digital resources? Will libraries convert to only digital products or will they have to buy both electronic and print formats? Will academic libraries retain their central role in the university? With chapters from leading academic deans and directors, directors of national organizations of library professionals, and book/serials vendors including Philip Blackwell, CEO of Blackwell Limited, this book explores: digital resources and technology digital books--and what they mean to libraries legislation on copyrights and intellectual property rights in the digital age electronic cooperation between libraries how digital technology can facilitate on-campus research partnerships the extent to which academic libraries are embracing electronic publications
This fully revised and updated second edition of Understanding Digital Libraries focuses on the challenges faced by both librarians and computer scientists in a field that has been dramatically altered by the growth of the Web. At every turn, the goal is practical: to show you how things you might need to do are already being done, or how they can be done. The first part of the book is devoted to technology and examines issues such as varying media requirements, indexing and classification, networks and distribution, and presentation. The second part of the book is concerned with the human contexts in which digital libraries function. Here you'll find specific and useful information on usability, preservation, scientific applications, and thorny legal and economic questions. - Thoroughly updated and expanded from original edition to include recent research, case studies and new technologies - For librarians and technologists alike, this book provides a thorough introduction to the interdisciplinary science of digital libraries - Written by Michael Lesk, a legend in computer science and a leading figure in the digital library field - Provides insights into the integration of both the technical and non-technical aspects of digital libraries
Taking into consideration the variety of information being created, produced, and published, the acquisition and archiving of e-resources by digital libraries is rapidly increasing. As such, managing the rights to these resources is imperative. The Handbook of Research on Managing Intellectual Property in Digital Libraries is a pivotal reference source for the latest scholarly research on strategies in which digital libraries engage in the management of increasing digital intellectual property to protect both the users and the creators of the resources. Featuring coverage on a broad range of topics such as copyright management, open access, and software programs, this book is ideally designed for academicians, researchers, and practitioners seeking material on property rights and e-resources.
Digital libraries have been established worldwide to make information more readily available, and this innovation has changed the way information seekers interact with the data they are collecting. Faced with decentralized, heterogeneous sources, these users must be familiarized with high-level search activities in order to sift through large amounts of data. Information Seeking Behavior and Challenges in Digital Libraries addresses the problems of usability and search optimization in digital libraries. With topics addressing all aspects of information seeking activity, the research found in this book provides insight into library user experiences and human-computer interaction when searching online databases of all types. This book addresses the challenges faced by professionals in information management, librarians, developers, students of library science, and policy makers.
The quality of library collections depends heavily on the initial assessment requirements. An accurate assessment assists with meeting the goals and missions of the library, but the introduction of digital media and resources is accompanied with new challenges in measuring the effective use of the library’s collection. The Handbook of Research on Inventive Digital Tools for Collection Management and Development in Modern Libraries details how libraries strive to bridge traditional collections with their new digital counterparts. Providing real-world examples and analysis of the modern library, this publication is a timely reference source for professionals and researchers in the fields of library and information science, as well as executives interested in information and organizational development.
Digital Disruption and Electronic Resource Management in Libraries identifies issues in the management of e-resources. The paradigm shift from Electronic Resources to Electronic Resource Management (ERM) has meant significant change for libraries and their users. One of the most important functions of a library is to provide information in electronic format. Libraries provide access to a wide variety of resources. A major challenge for libraries and librarians is therefore the management of this diversity of e-resources. ERM has emerged in this context. This book gives theoretical and practical information to assist librarians with ERM. It discusses broad trends and specific topics in the current landscape. It is devoted to theory, history, lifecycle, ERM systems, and the management of e-resources. - Presents current theory and practice of Electronic Resource Management (ERM) - Offers comprehensive coverage of ERM, including lifecycle, systems, standards - Includes case studies for ERM - Provides an international perspective on this critical topic
