How digitisation is
disrupting libraries
There is gloom in almost all the industries facing the blunt force
of disruptive technologies. Disruption is the reality of our time, and we
should accept it rather than fighting the truth. Hence, we need to prepare for
it and better still, evolve with it. In the library and information science
landscape these days, the community is abuzz with terms like digital libraries,
electronic libraries, and hybrid libraries. At a time when information is just
a click away, the library reference desk has been rendered obsolete. Print
books look like collectibles, almost like antiquities from a distant past.
As a result, the way we access and consume information is morphing
dramatically, even when it comes to learning and skilling. This might be the
defining problem of our generation. Is content too democratised in terms of who
can create it? In a world full of content creators, do we not need the
gatekeepers of knowledge, who give some semblance of quality control through
peer-review and consensus?
As digital libraries combine technology and information resources
to allow remote access, they enable teachers and students to take advantage of
a wider range of reading material and communicate information easily outside
the formal learning environment. Furthermore, as long as students have an
Internet connection, digital libraries are accessible anywhere and at any
moment. Apart from these, digitised libraries will also allow integration of
different types of learning to take place.
Advantages
and disadvantages
To stay relevant and battle this challenge, public library systems
across the world should reinvent themselves by digitising their collection, and
create a virtual library that can be accessible from any computer. In fact,
many libraries have already started this activity. Similar to every new
technological disruption, there seem to be some great advantages of the system.
Some of the positive outcomes of digitising libraries include:
Storing
content physically has always been a challenge. With ever-shrinking space for
archiving, digitisation offers a handy solution.
Information
retrieval becomes easier for the readers as they can search for a particular
information through the entire collection immediately.
Content, old
and new, can quickly reach the masses. Therefore, many public libraries are
rushing to push as much content as they can onto online so that readers can
read genealogical records, historical maps or rare volumes without leaving
their home.
However, there are some adverse effects as well. They include the
problem that most people are accessing these materials online and do not visit
the library physically. Perhaps, the biggest challenge that libraries face, in
terms of digitisation of content, is that of piracy. This is one of the key
reasons for the limited inflow of popular new titles. Publishers and authors
are concerned that books, once online, can easily be copied and shared without
authorisation or permission. Hence, libraries have been building their digital
collections with the electronic versions of century-old classics not covered
under copyright or the so-called back-catalogue books that are unlikely to
appeal those who pirate books. They are stocking up on an array of 'How-to' and
other non-fiction titles. But when it comes to bestsellers, the digital
cupboard is often predictably bare.
Apart from piracy, another challenge of digitising libraries is
that of maintaining library-users' right to privacy. The information sought,
received and resources consulted, borrowed, acquired or transmitted must remain
confidential. The International Federation of Library Associations (IFLA) views
privacy as integral to Freedom of Expression, as stated in its Internet
Manifesto. This includes:
Librarians
must respect the privacy of internet users in the library and strive to ensure
the confidentiality of the resources and services that they use.
Librarians
should not keep a record of internet use more than what is required by the law,
retain such records no longer than it is required, and protect the integrity of
records at all times.
The role of libraries and librarians is evolving. In this
connected world, enabling readers to find new content is no longer their core
competency. Neither it is clerical nor administrative in nature; rather the
role of a librarian is that of a person who establishes relevance. Librarians
tell us what's relevant, what's peer-reviewed, and what source of knowledge we
can trust.
The future of libraries, as an institute, is in our hands -
authors, publishers, and readers. Disruptive technologies will continue to
emerge and change our behaviour. However, the role of a library is much bigger.
Libraries will continue to absorb new technologies in the way they function.
Certainly, there are challenges ahead, but I am hopeful they can be met and
overcome.
Regards
Mr. Pralhad Jadhav
Master of Library & Information Science (NET
Qualified)
Senior Manager @ Knowledge Repository
Khaitan & Co
Mobile @ 9665911593
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