This document discusses the impact of information and communication technologies (ICT) on libraries and librarians. It notes that ICT has changed libraries by making information digital, enabling online access and resource sharing, and shifting users from physical to digital access. This has impacted librarian roles and required new skills in ICT. The document outlines how libraries must integrate ICT and train librarians in its use to remain relevant information centers in a digital society.
1. Introduction to Information and Communication Technologies Lesson 1. Why do librarians need to know about ICT and acquire skill in its use?
2. Rationale In Asia, information is recognized as an important resource but the ICT tools to create, collect, consolidate and communicate information are not yet used in the majority of libraries. Libraries are seldom included in the technology vision of institutions because librarians have not been able to convince management that libraries need ICT.
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5. What are ICT? I nformation C ommunication T echnologies ICT are the hardware and software that enable society to create, collect, consolidate and communicate information in multimedia formats and for various purposes.
6. Impact of ICT on society Developments in ICT have brought about the merger of the computing, information, communications, entertainment, mass media industries thereby providing a means of exchanging information in the digital format used by computers.
7. ICT - i.e. computer linked to all facets of society
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10. ICT has made the transfer of digital information from remote sites possible Shift from Print to Digital Internet
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Notas del editor
To the trainer: Mention impact on service such as OPAC, downloading, and the need for librarians to keep abreast of new information sources, etc.
To the trainer: Any kind of change is challenging. There are issues and threats to resolve. Among these challenges are: Those which affect health of the staff. Repetitive strain injuries are experienced by people who work at the keyboard. The area of study concerned with the design of furniture to alleviate these injuries is known as ergonomics. Those which affect the environment. Thus far no one is sure if electromagnetic field emissions have any effect on human health but these waves may have an effect on the environment. The noise emitted by printers and other hardware also affect the environment. Monitors use up a lot of power. Those which affect privacy and security Those which affect intellectual property Those which affect truthfulness of information . Sound and image manipulation is easier with technology. Through morphing, images could be altered dot by dot. Those which affect efficiency of use. Skills in choosing, using and maintaining hardware, operating systems, applications software and databases are essential for efficiency. Those which affect the library/information profession. Libraries must evolve into information centers with access to digital information resources to continue providing equal access to information for all. Librarians must become computer literate to be competitive in the information profession.