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Current and Global Trends in Library and Information Services


Abstract
      The advancement of ICT (Information, Communication and Technology) has

brought a lot ofchanges not only on the library and information services but also on

the roles and expectations ofthe librarians and information professionals. As a

librarian you are expected to do more and more especially in this age of information

explosion. There is a real danger that librarians and information professionalswill be

left behind if it still insists on the old role of the traditional librarians. So it is

important thatthere is a new change in paradigm. As the saying goes, change or

perish. This paper will attempt tounderstand what a successful, relevant and dynamic

librarians and information professionals mustbe in this Information Age. It will also

focus on the issues, trends and challenges in preparing new era librarians and

information professionals.




                                         1
INTRODUCTION

      National development effort is simply any activity that raises real incomes,

therebyoffering new hopes of expanded opportunities for people, communities, and

enterprises. As boththe global and national economies become more and more

knowledge-driven, specializedknowledge has become the indispensable asset for

further economic development. Local businessesbenefit greatly in specific ways

from libraries, including access to new ideas, knowledge andinformation.

Inparticular, relocating businesses, start-up businesses, small businesses of all

kinds and infrastructural provision are perceived as enjoying the greatest benefits

from library products and services. Indeed,existence of libraries has been cited as a

reason for a business’ decision to relocate to a particularcommunity and the

strategic locations of beneficial infrastructural facilities. Studies also found that

business information resources were significantly morevaluable with expert help of

library staff. In other words, not only are information sourcesthemselves viewed as

important    resources   for   people    seeking    mission-oriented    information,

butprofessional services provided by librarians are believed by many to be critical

factors in finding,accessing and utilizing information resources to the fullest

extent, especially with regard toelectronic resources.

      Democracy and national development demands that the masses, the source

of authority, should be well informed about all important matters. Although many


                                          2
are receiving this instruction in schools, the work of schools cannot be complete

without the backing of libraries. Libraries are an indispensable companion to

formal education. The librarymust give persons of all ages the chance to keep

abreast with their times in all matters: 'By offering them, impartially, works

representing conflicting points of view, it enables them to form their own opinions

and preserve that attitude ofconstructive criticism towards public affairs without

which there is no freedom.UNESCO Bulletin for LibrariesXV,(1961),

      There will always be changes in the environment, and these changes will

affect librarians andinformation professionals: their role, job opportunities, self-

image, motivation and even survival.Librarians therefore need to find a solution to

timely repositioning and role claiming. We live in an Information society where

the development of information technology andtelecommunication networks is

accompanied by a corresponding increase in knowledge, with a rapidly growing

flow of information.

This new information environment requires new skills in seeking, processing and

dissemination of information. The base for a Librarian’s ability to understand and

use information is a qualitative, ongoing learning process.

CURRENT AND GLOBAL TRENDS

      Before discussing on the current and global trend in library and information

services let’s first look at some current trends discussed in most recent literature of


                                           3
library and information management. These current trends somehow or rather will

have a bearing in shaping librarians andinformation services in the new era. They

are summarized as follows:

• Library functions in information and knowledge-based society

• Knowledge-based economy – information and knowledge as drivers to boost the

economy

• Information management recognized as an important discipline

• Information recognized as commodity (information brokerage, information

entrepreneurship, fee-based information)

• Information recognized as power/strength/weapon

• Information strongly link to decision-making, strategic management, competitive

advantage, innovation, R&D

• Knowledge management – leveraging organization

• Globalization of information

• Integrated and widespread ICT applications

• Mushrooming of information systems – need for Information System

Management (ISM)

• Growth of electronic / internet resources

• Role of digital/electronic/virtual library

• Librarians is designated as cyber librarians


                                               4
• Librarians expanded & changes in digital environment

• New breeds of information professionals: CIO, CKO, Information consultants

and analysts

• Competency- based assessment/training

• Leadership skills

• Access role replace custodial role

• Customer-focused/customer-centered, user oriented approach in provision of

services

• Strategic alliances, partnership and collaborations

• Librarians need new management knowledge and skills

• Specialized knowledge & skills in library and information management

• Double degree (major-minor concept)

• Trend to develop digital contents to facilitate access

      In addition to the professional skills mentioned above, the librarians and

information professionals of thefuture must be equipped with a wide range of

personal and transferable skills in order to manage thechanging environment in

which he or she works. The importance of transferable skills over information

technology skillsshould be highlighted here.

       Management and interpersonal skills willmake librarians more effective

managers of networked resources and services. As Hastings (1996)says "it is more


                                           5
important that digital librarians possess particular personal qualities (which

areinnate) rather than specific technical expertise (which can be learned). This is

not to say that the way to avoid the electronic age is for libraryprofessionals to

stick their heads in the sand. The information professional must change and adapt

to the newelectronic information environment, he or she must learn about new

technologies and be aware of the strengths and weaknesses of them. Librarians

should not feel threatened by computers and technical developments but should

move forward with the new technology and take a pivotal role within

organizations. Information professionals within libraries are playing an increasing

role in dealing with information in electronic formats by creating Web pages to

promote their services to external customers and choosing automated library

management systems. Skills in information organization are more necessary in this

age of informationexplosion. Librarians and information professionals have a key

role to play in this era. For example, librarians are well equipped to take intranet

projects through the various stages of design and maintenance as they understand

their users and their organizations information needs and have the range of skills to

manage knowledge effectively. The role of the librarians in this context is to help

users find the information they require then provide them with the tools to assess

and use the resources for their individual needs. Creth (1996) suggests that

librarians achieve this by "actively seeking out users in a variety of settings" and


                                          6
by making "full use of information and multimedia technology" by offering

instruction in a variety of formats (including Web based instruction and online

tutorials). New era librarians and information professionals should be able to

manage the Digital Information System as this encompass the overall

competencies (knowledge, know-how, skills and attitudes) necessary to create,

store, analyze, organize, retrieve and disseminate digital information (text, images,

sounds) in digital libraries or any type of information.

      Traditionally, libraries were collections of books, manuscripts, journals, and

other sources of recorded information. In the last 50 years, libraries have

increasingly developed into a provider of information resources and services that

do not even require a building. The terms digital library and virtual library are used

to refer to the vast collections of information to which people gain access remotely.

Digital Libraries

      The world is going through an information technology revolution that has

drastically changed many facets of the human life, from education, industry,

economy, and politics to entertainments. In addition, the unprecedented

capabilities of the information technology to process, store, refine and disseminate

data, information and knowledge in a variety of ways across geographical

boundaries had dramatically changed the ways in which governments, the public

and the private sectors and libraries operate all over the world. As Ajayi (2002) has

                                          7
rightly put it, the emergence and convergence of information and communication

technologies (ICT) has therefore remained at the centre of global social-economic

transformations. As pointed out by Ogunsola and Okusaga (2008) libraries are now

extending their traditional roles of facilitating self-education and individual

enrichment by providing low-cost or free computer access to online resources. The

potential of what can be achieved in information generation, acquisition,

collection, processing, display and dissemination, was very exciting and

intoxicating, and resulted in futuristic dreams. All these electronic developments

form the basis of digital library which is equally termed virtual libraries. It is all

these technological developments which gradually give birth to what is now known

as digital library. At this juncture, one can ask what we mean by the term "digital

library". Digital library can be defined as one in which all the texts and spoken

books are stored as digital files, which will take a long time to achieve. A digital or

virtual library is the online access provided by other facilities or it may mean a

website which offers links to various sites with a large store of information in a

catalogued or archived form. The term may refer to all material related to any

subject that is available on the Internet. A digital library generally is part of a

network with linkages to other libraries.


The advances in the fields of telecommunications, computer technology, and

satellite communications have revolutionized information delivery services in

                                            8
advanced countries. As asserted by Akpan (2001), information can be delivered

across countries into houses and offices instantly. It must be realized that the

sharing, however, has been uneven across the globe. Countries with advanced

technology are years ahead of countries with developing economies. Within

developing economies, some have moved further ahead than others. In Nigeria, the

expression "virtual library" or "digital library" is relatively new, being a little more

than a decade old. One of the writers who coined it is Nancy Schiller, who defined

it in 1992 as "libraries in which computer and telecommunication technologies

make access to a wide range of information resources possible".


According to Irokwe (2001), a digital library is a library that harnesses digital

technologies as infrastructure to search, collect, organize, store and distribute

cultural, historical and scientific information whether it is text, visual images or

sound. The virtual library or digital library can be regarded as a child of necessity,

arising from need to use technologies in accessing the explosion of information for

human survival and development. This requires that all operations of the library be

computerized.


The Issue of Staff: The Right Staff

Staffing and getting the right staff is a major issue in e library in Nigeria just as it

was in the developed world when they stepped into electronic library system.


                                           9
Information professionals are now required to take on a wider variety of roles

requiring a broader range of skills than ever before and far more than their

exposures at the Library Schools. A number of e-Lib projects have helped to

successfully highlight these issues in recent years, (Stephen Pinfield) 2001. These

issues include how e library staff are obtained, trained and retained in order to

carry out this work. E-library projects in Nigeria are most likely to have problems

recruiting and retaining staff with the right skills across the sector because the

Library Schools do not offer relevant courses at the moment. Thought also needs to

be given to staffing structures which are currently biased in favour of traditional

library roles. There may be a need in many organisations to review the

fundamental organisational structure to see whether it is best able to deliver the

wide range of services required by e library.




A virtual or digital library can therefore be defined as a collection of library

resources in electronic/digital format at various locations, which can be accessed

and used with great ease using computer information technologies for the purpose

of teaching, study, research, learning, leisure, and decision-making.




                                         10
Electronic Resources

      Taking Nigeria as an example, improving the quality of libraries in the

higher education system will improve the quality of the products of the system. In

recent times and as attested to by the findings of a 2001 Nigerian Institute of Social

and Economic Research/World Bank report on the quality of Nigerian Universities,

the competencies demonstrated by university graduates are "lowering at an

alarming rate". The poor state of academic libraries was implicated as a major

cause. The Nigerian virtual library project is a justifiable venture for bolstering

higher education quality. In another sense, the virtual library will enable students,

lecturers, and other scholars to profit more fully from electronic communications

revolution by having access to databases critical for their research and teaching.

Within the higher education system in majority of African universities, libraries are

far from being up-to-date. Books, journals, abstracts and other collections are not

current. The typical setting is to have a few fairly recent titles and a fairly large

collection of old titles. There are gaps in sequence which could be critical for

knowledge generation and dissemination. As a result of the above lapses, the

importance of virtual or digital libraries in African universities can never be

overemphasized. A digital library scheme will facilitate access to a vast collection

of books and journal, titles from as far as back in time as possible. A subscribing

library in Nigeria or any other African university will be several times richer and

                                          11
current in its collection of books and journals than presently the case. Estimates by

the www.virtuallibrary.com for 2001 showed that the installation and running cost

of a virtual academic library in a university is a mere .015% of the cost of

establishing a "real" academic library and less than 2% of the operating cost. All

the higher education institutions in Nigeria have physical libraries which require

about 1 billion Naira in capital, recurrent, and maintenance cost annually. This type

of electronic library resources can be shared by all institutions at a fraction of the

total cost required to support all the physical libraries within the higher education

system in the country (Ogunsola and Okusaga, 2008).


      Furthermore, it is projected that 1,000 electronic databases/resources are

equivalent to 30,000 volumes of printed materials. These will require 2,650m2 of

shelf space alone. Thus, minimal resources can be mobilized for maximum

advantage in terms of library development in Nigeria and other developing

countries. In recent times, post-secondary educational institutions have been under

tremendous pressure for change as a response to demising budget, need to reach

students other than their traditional clientele, and adapt current development in

information technology for their delivery of institution. As a result many

institutions of higher learning worldwide have turned towards electronic

networking in academic services. The virtual or digital library also provides a

platform for sharing knowledge. It is not a one-way flow from resource-rich to

                                          12
resource-poor countries. Instead, it has been set up for uniformity in the

interchange of ideas. Consequently while universities in Nigeria and other

developing countries will take advantage of down loading materials from the

developed world, such universities will have the opportunity of uploading output

of research in the form of books, dissertation//theses and journals to the global

network of virtual libraries.


Also, differences in access to information technology and the ability to participate

fully in global electronic information networks is in itself a measure of the unequal

distribution of power in today's increasingly connected global economy and polity.

In Nigeria, for example, there are very few people with the advanced training that

enables them to contribute fully to new technology about electronic information

systems. It is precisely because of this situation of inequality that Nigeria and other

developing countries should be included in developing new knowledge in these

areas. It must also be realized that many of the print materials held in collections in

Nigerian Universities, particularly older historical manuscripts, are deteriorating

rapidly. Some materials cannot even be consulted by researchers for fear of

accelerating their decline. This is the trend in many other African countries. Many

research institutes and libraries, have suffered from deep funding cuts since 1980s,

and collections of all kinds have not been adequately maintained. Preservation is

central to maintaining the quality, longevity, integrity and accessibility of data.

                                          13
Digitalization within the framework of the virtual library project can be used to

create a high-quality copy of an item, thus protecting the original and ensuring that

the information that it contains is both permanently preserved and made accessible.

Although traditional channels of communication will remain important, the new

information and communication technologies hold great potential for broadly

disseminating knowledge at low cost, and for reducing knowledge gaps within

countries and between industrial and developing countries. In a broad sense as

revealed by Ogunsola (2004) access to the right information at the right time gives

people greater control over their destinies.


As a result of all these global technological changes, the purposes of higher

education have been transformed. According to Capron (2000), mail, telephone,

TV and radio, books, newspapers and periodicals are the traditional ways by which

users sent and received information. However, data communication systems have

been evolving since the mid-1960s.


It must be realized that Africa's development hinges on effectively participating in

the information society, and this requires low-cost Internet access. Yet Africa has

the most expensive Internet access in the world partly because its Internet traffic

transits through Internet exchange points in the US or Europe. As a result, Africans

must pay "long-distance" charges, and data transfer speeds are slow. Thus, the

digital divide continues to widen. This is one of the constraints militating against
                                          14
digital library development in our higher education institutions. As pointed out by

Rosenberg (2005), Africa has 13% of the world's population but only 2% of the

world's telephone lines and 1% of Internet connectivity. It is also noted that up

country or newer university libraries and (in multi-site libraries) branch libraries

lag behind in Internet connectivity. Programmes that assume all libraries within a

region or countries that have the same needs and aspirations are unlikely to

succeed. Therefore as most African countries still do not have good access to the

Internet; online resources like digital libraries or the Internet are not yet the

solutions to bridging the digital divide. Hence, one can confidently conclude that

traditional libraries are still alive and this will continue for a long time especially in

developing countries. The paper acknowledges that the Internet will eventually

take over in Africa as the means of providing access to digital academic

information. As such, African governments are urged to continue to look at ways

in which they can improve their national access to reliable and cost-efficient online

access.In addition, to paid resources, there are millions of open access sources that

are available with no cost to most of us. It is estimated that more one million full

text books are available in global market.


      Furthermore, numerous government documents, academic pages, and

thousands peer reviewed open access journals are available via World Wide Web.

One of the well-known examples is “Directory of Open Access Journal” provide

                                           15
more than seven thousands academic journals. In addition, thousands of magazines

and newspapers from around glob are freely available via the internet.


CURRENT AND GLOBAL TREND OF THE NEW ERA LIBRARIANS

      The new era librarian is a technology application leader who works with

other members of theinformation management team to design and evaluate systems

for information access that meet userneeds. Where required, the new era librarian

provides instruction and support so that end users canmake optimal use of the

information resources available to them. The new era librarian is capable of

working in the hybrid world of print and electronic media and providing the best

mix of informationresources in the most appropriate formats for the environment.

The new era librarian plays a key role in developing information policy for the

organization ensuring that access to all information resources -- from internal

records to external databases – is provided in the most strategically-Effective and

cost-effective manner. The new era librarian also plays another important role in

ensuring that contractual, legal and ethical obligations regarding information use

are met.

The electronic information age provides new opportunities fororganizations to

produce    as   well   as   use   information   products.   New    era   librarians,

giventheirfamiliarity with the information marketplace, can be key contributors to

the development, marketingand use of information products.
                                        16
New era librarians are knowledge-based practitioners who use research as a

foundation for theirown professional practice and who support the conduct of

research through their professionalassociations. Research has shown that the

provision of appropriate information can lead to: betterinformeddecision-making;

the ability to proceed to the next step in a project or task; improvedrelations with a

client; and the exploitation of new business opportunities. The right information at

the right time can also benefit the organization by saving the time of highly paid

employees,avoiding poor business decisions, and even direct loss of funds.

In the information age, new era librarians are essential -- by responding with a

sense of urgency tocritical information needs they provide the information edge for

the knowledge-based organization.In order to fulfill this key information role, new

era librarians require two main types ofcompetencies:Professionalcompetencies

relate to the special librarian's knowledge in the areas of information

resources, information access, technology, management and research and the

ability to use theseareas of knowledge as a basis for providing library and

information services.Personal competencies represent a set of skills, attitudes and

values that enable librarians to workefficiently; be good communicators; focus on

continuing learning throughout their careers;demonstrate the value-added nature of

their contributions; and survive in the new world of work. The following sections

highlight the major professional and personal competencies of new eralibrarians:


                                          17
Professional Competencies

• has expert knowledge of the content of information resources, including the

ability to criticallyevaluate and filter them

• has specialized subject knowledge appropriate to the business of the organization

or client

• develops and manages convenient, accessible and cost-effective information

services that arealigned with the strategic directions of the organization

• provides excellent instruction and support for library and information service

users

• assesses information needs and designs and markets value-added information

services andproducts to meet identified needs

• uses appropriate information technology to acquire, organize and disseminate

information

• uses appropriate business and management approaches to communicate the

importance ofinformation services to senior management

• develops specialized information products for use inside or outside the

organization or byindividual clients

• evaluates the outcomes of information use and conducts research related to the

solution ofinformation management problems

• Continually improves information services in response to the changing needs


                                           18
• is an effective member of the senior management team and a consultant to the

organization oninformation issues

Personal Competencies

• committed to service excellence

• seeks out challenges and sees new opportunities both inside and outside the

library

• sees the big picture

• creates an environment of mutual respect and trust

• has effective communications skills

• Works well with others in a team

• provides leadership

• plans, prioritizes and focuses on what is critical

• committed to lifelong learning and personal career planning

• have personal business skills and creates new opportunities

• recognizes the value of professional networking and solidarity

• is flexible and positive in a time of continuing change

From the preceding section it would seem that there is an abundance of potential

roles for thelibrarian. To take up these roles will require careful and timely

preparation. Preparedness is a keyissue in repositioning ourselves for new roles.

Preparedness includes content knowledge and relatedskills but, more importantly,


                                           19
it includes survival skills. The following are a few suggestions thatcould also shape

the teaching approach, assessment methods, etc. Survival skills could include

theability to:

• carry out environmental scanning and rapid decision-making

• critically analyze the professional domain and where it is heading

• employ time management to keep librarians from putting off preparing for new

roles

• manage change

• work collaboratively (it is impossible to monitor new developments alone)

• study independently

• think creatively

• assess one's strengths, weaknesses and progress in continuing learning

When considering the roles that have been discussed and their requirements, it

seems that, apartfrom survival skills, new era librarians should focus more on

affective skills and characteristicssuch as:

• enthusiasm for life-long learning and new roles

• will-power (because nothing will come easily)

• assertiveness

• creative thinking

• self-confidence


                                          20
• innovativeness


Conclusion

      Librarianship has undergone a radical change in recent years, which will be

continued in the future. As libraries have changed, so too, has the role of the

librarian. Increasingly librarians have assumed the role of educator to teach their

users how to find information both in the library and over electronic networks.

Public librarians have expanded their roles by providing local community

information through publicly assessable computing systems. Some librarians are

experts on computers and software. Others are concerned with how computer

technologies can preserve the human cultural records of the past or assure that

library collections on crumbling paper or in old computer files can still be used by

people many centuries in the future. The work of librarians has moved outside

library walls. Librarians have begun to work in the information industry as

salespeople, designers of new information systems, researchers, and information

analysts. They are also found in such fields as marketing and public relations and

in such organizations as law firms, where staffs need rapid access to information.


It must be realized that despite the changes in the roles and functions of libraries

over the course of history their cultural role has not. Libraries remain responsible

for acquiring or providing access to books, periodicals, and other media that meet


                                         21
the educational, recreational, and informational needs of their users. They continue

to keep the business, legal, historical, and religious record of a civilization. They

are the place where a toddler can hear his or her first story and a scholar can carry

out his or her research. New technologies are dramatically increasing the

accessibility of information, and librarians are adapting to the evolving needs of

users that emerge from the adoption of these new technologies. Technological

advances have presented the opportunity of automating some aspects of traditional

libraries.


By deciding to change to digital production, a traditional library would make it

much easier to cooperate with other libraries around the world. The more that a

library can communicate with others the more they will be able to learn what has

already been done. One of the ways we waste time and money is to try to invent

everything ourselves. Whatever you are trying to do in developing your library,

you can guarantee that somebody else has already done something similar. If we

are working with traditional methods and the only means that we have of sending

materials to other institutions is by the post, then it is understandable that libraries

tend to concentrate on their own affairs and their own public. It takes weeks to

communicate with other libraries then the efforts becomes too much and it is faster

to produce materials than to borrow it, if however, libraries can start to use the

Internet to exchange information and materials, the exchange can happen in

                                          22
seconds. The digital library offers more possibilities for enhanced scholarly

communication. The Internet and related technologies such as electronic mail

enable collaborative projects to be undertaken between geographically distant

groups. All developing nations can derive tremendous advantages from this

technology for updating the knowledge of its researchers and scientists. The entire

world is going online. The agenda for global preparedness includes the

development of telecommunications and Internet infrastructure.


Technology is the backbone of digital library, and the centre piece of preparedness

is the expansion of technology in Nigeria and other developing countries.




                                        23
REFRENCES

Aina, L.O. (2004). Coping with the challenges of library and information services
delivery: The need for institutionalized professional development. Paper delivered
at the Nigerian Library Association 42nd National Conference and AGM at Akure,
Nigeria June 20-25, 2004: 5.
Ajayi, G.O. (2000). Challenges to Nigeria of globalization and the information age.
Proceedings of workshop on National Information and Communication
Infrastructures Policy Plans and Strategies. Abuja, Nigeria, March 28-30, 2000: 10.
Akintunde S.A. (2004). Libraries as tools for ICT development. Paper delivered at
the Nigerian Library Association 42nd National Conference and AGM at Akure,
Nigeria June 20-25, 2004: 10.
Akpan, E.O. (2001). The virtual library. Blueprint on the National Virtual Library
Project. Federal Ministry of Education, Lagos, Nigeria, Section C: 20.
Capron, H.L. (2000). Computers: Tools for an information age. New Jersey:
Prentice Hall.
                                        24
Irokwe, O.P. (2001). A blueprint for implementing digital libraries in Nigerian
universities. Blueprint on the National Virtual Library Project. Federal Ministry of
Education, Lagos, Nigeria. Section C: 8
Lancaster, F. W. (1997). Artificial Intelligence and Expert System Technologies:
Prospects. In:Libraries for the New Millennium: Implications for Managers.
London: Library Association
Publishing, 19 - 37.


Mulla, K.R. (2006). E-resources and services in engineering college libraries: A
case study. Electronic Journal of Academic and Special Librarianship 7(1).
Ogunsola, L.A. (2004). Nigerian university libraries and the challenges of
globalization: The way forward. Electronic Journal of Academic and Special
Librarianship 5(2-3)
Ogunsola, L.A., & Okusaga. T.O. (2008). Establishing virtual libraries in African
universities: Problems and prospects. Ozean Journal of Social Sciences 1 (1). 2008:
43-52.
Olaosun, M.A. (2007). The librarian is dead, long live the librarian. A Valedictory
Lecture by Michael Adebayo Olaosun at OAU Ile-Ife, Nigeria, Wednesday, 11
April, 2007: 1-14.
Osundina, O. (1973). The relationship between information science and
librarianship: A viewpoint. Nigerian Libraries 9 (1&2): 47.
Rosenberg, D. (2005). Towards the digital library in Africa: An investigation to
establish      the     current      status     of      university      libraries.
Available:http://www.inasp.info/pubs.




                                         25
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Current and global trends in library and information services

  • 1. Current and Global Trends in Library and Information Services Abstract The advancement of ICT (Information, Communication and Technology) has brought a lot ofchanges not only on the library and information services but also on the roles and expectations ofthe librarians and information professionals. As a librarian you are expected to do more and more especially in this age of information explosion. There is a real danger that librarians and information professionalswill be left behind if it still insists on the old role of the traditional librarians. So it is important thatthere is a new change in paradigm. As the saying goes, change or perish. This paper will attempt tounderstand what a successful, relevant and dynamic librarians and information professionals mustbe in this Information Age. It will also focus on the issues, trends and challenges in preparing new era librarians and information professionals. 1
  • 2. INTRODUCTION National development effort is simply any activity that raises real incomes, therebyoffering new hopes of expanded opportunities for people, communities, and enterprises. As boththe global and national economies become more and more knowledge-driven, specializedknowledge has become the indispensable asset for further economic development. Local businessesbenefit greatly in specific ways from libraries, including access to new ideas, knowledge andinformation. Inparticular, relocating businesses, start-up businesses, small businesses of all kinds and infrastructural provision are perceived as enjoying the greatest benefits from library products and services. Indeed,existence of libraries has been cited as a reason for a business’ decision to relocate to a particularcommunity and the strategic locations of beneficial infrastructural facilities. Studies also found that business information resources were significantly morevaluable with expert help of library staff. In other words, not only are information sourcesthemselves viewed as important resources for people seeking mission-oriented information, butprofessional services provided by librarians are believed by many to be critical factors in finding,accessing and utilizing information resources to the fullest extent, especially with regard toelectronic resources. Democracy and national development demands that the masses, the source of authority, should be well informed about all important matters. Although many 2
  • 3. are receiving this instruction in schools, the work of schools cannot be complete without the backing of libraries. Libraries are an indispensable companion to formal education. The librarymust give persons of all ages the chance to keep abreast with their times in all matters: 'By offering them, impartially, works representing conflicting points of view, it enables them to form their own opinions and preserve that attitude ofconstructive criticism towards public affairs without which there is no freedom.UNESCO Bulletin for LibrariesXV,(1961), There will always be changes in the environment, and these changes will affect librarians andinformation professionals: their role, job opportunities, self- image, motivation and even survival.Librarians therefore need to find a solution to timely repositioning and role claiming. We live in an Information society where the development of information technology andtelecommunication networks is accompanied by a corresponding increase in knowledge, with a rapidly growing flow of information. This new information environment requires new skills in seeking, processing and dissemination of information. The base for a Librarian’s ability to understand and use information is a qualitative, ongoing learning process. CURRENT AND GLOBAL TRENDS Before discussing on the current and global trend in library and information services let’s first look at some current trends discussed in most recent literature of 3
  • 4. library and information management. These current trends somehow or rather will have a bearing in shaping librarians andinformation services in the new era. They are summarized as follows: • Library functions in information and knowledge-based society • Knowledge-based economy – information and knowledge as drivers to boost the economy • Information management recognized as an important discipline • Information recognized as commodity (information brokerage, information entrepreneurship, fee-based information) • Information recognized as power/strength/weapon • Information strongly link to decision-making, strategic management, competitive advantage, innovation, R&D • Knowledge management – leveraging organization • Globalization of information • Integrated and widespread ICT applications • Mushrooming of information systems – need for Information System Management (ISM) • Growth of electronic / internet resources • Role of digital/electronic/virtual library • Librarians is designated as cyber librarians 4
  • 5. • Librarians expanded & changes in digital environment • New breeds of information professionals: CIO, CKO, Information consultants and analysts • Competency- based assessment/training • Leadership skills • Access role replace custodial role • Customer-focused/customer-centered, user oriented approach in provision of services • Strategic alliances, partnership and collaborations • Librarians need new management knowledge and skills • Specialized knowledge & skills in library and information management • Double degree (major-minor concept) • Trend to develop digital contents to facilitate access In addition to the professional skills mentioned above, the librarians and information professionals of thefuture must be equipped with a wide range of personal and transferable skills in order to manage thechanging environment in which he or she works. The importance of transferable skills over information technology skillsshould be highlighted here. Management and interpersonal skills willmake librarians more effective managers of networked resources and services. As Hastings (1996)says "it is more 5
  • 6. important that digital librarians possess particular personal qualities (which areinnate) rather than specific technical expertise (which can be learned). This is not to say that the way to avoid the electronic age is for libraryprofessionals to stick their heads in the sand. The information professional must change and adapt to the newelectronic information environment, he or she must learn about new technologies and be aware of the strengths and weaknesses of them. Librarians should not feel threatened by computers and technical developments but should move forward with the new technology and take a pivotal role within organizations. Information professionals within libraries are playing an increasing role in dealing with information in electronic formats by creating Web pages to promote their services to external customers and choosing automated library management systems. Skills in information organization are more necessary in this age of informationexplosion. Librarians and information professionals have a key role to play in this era. For example, librarians are well equipped to take intranet projects through the various stages of design and maintenance as they understand their users and their organizations information needs and have the range of skills to manage knowledge effectively. The role of the librarians in this context is to help users find the information they require then provide them with the tools to assess and use the resources for their individual needs. Creth (1996) suggests that librarians achieve this by "actively seeking out users in a variety of settings" and 6
  • 7. by making "full use of information and multimedia technology" by offering instruction in a variety of formats (including Web based instruction and online tutorials). New era librarians and information professionals should be able to manage the Digital Information System as this encompass the overall competencies (knowledge, know-how, skills and attitudes) necessary to create, store, analyze, organize, retrieve and disseminate digital information (text, images, sounds) in digital libraries or any type of information. Traditionally, libraries were collections of books, manuscripts, journals, and other sources of recorded information. In the last 50 years, libraries have increasingly developed into a provider of information resources and services that do not even require a building. The terms digital library and virtual library are used to refer to the vast collections of information to which people gain access remotely. Digital Libraries The world is going through an information technology revolution that has drastically changed many facets of the human life, from education, industry, economy, and politics to entertainments. In addition, the unprecedented capabilities of the information technology to process, store, refine and disseminate data, information and knowledge in a variety of ways across geographical boundaries had dramatically changed the ways in which governments, the public and the private sectors and libraries operate all over the world. As Ajayi (2002) has 7
  • 8. rightly put it, the emergence and convergence of information and communication technologies (ICT) has therefore remained at the centre of global social-economic transformations. As pointed out by Ogunsola and Okusaga (2008) libraries are now extending their traditional roles of facilitating self-education and individual enrichment by providing low-cost or free computer access to online resources. The potential of what can be achieved in information generation, acquisition, collection, processing, display and dissemination, was very exciting and intoxicating, and resulted in futuristic dreams. All these electronic developments form the basis of digital library which is equally termed virtual libraries. It is all these technological developments which gradually give birth to what is now known as digital library. At this juncture, one can ask what we mean by the term "digital library". Digital library can be defined as one in which all the texts and spoken books are stored as digital files, which will take a long time to achieve. A digital or virtual library is the online access provided by other facilities or it may mean a website which offers links to various sites with a large store of information in a catalogued or archived form. The term may refer to all material related to any subject that is available on the Internet. A digital library generally is part of a network with linkages to other libraries. The advances in the fields of telecommunications, computer technology, and satellite communications have revolutionized information delivery services in 8
  • 9. advanced countries. As asserted by Akpan (2001), information can be delivered across countries into houses and offices instantly. It must be realized that the sharing, however, has been uneven across the globe. Countries with advanced technology are years ahead of countries with developing economies. Within developing economies, some have moved further ahead than others. In Nigeria, the expression "virtual library" or "digital library" is relatively new, being a little more than a decade old. One of the writers who coined it is Nancy Schiller, who defined it in 1992 as "libraries in which computer and telecommunication technologies make access to a wide range of information resources possible". According to Irokwe (2001), a digital library is a library that harnesses digital technologies as infrastructure to search, collect, organize, store and distribute cultural, historical and scientific information whether it is text, visual images or sound. The virtual library or digital library can be regarded as a child of necessity, arising from need to use technologies in accessing the explosion of information for human survival and development. This requires that all operations of the library be computerized. The Issue of Staff: The Right Staff Staffing and getting the right staff is a major issue in e library in Nigeria just as it was in the developed world when they stepped into electronic library system. 9
  • 10. Information professionals are now required to take on a wider variety of roles requiring a broader range of skills than ever before and far more than their exposures at the Library Schools. A number of e-Lib projects have helped to successfully highlight these issues in recent years, (Stephen Pinfield) 2001. These issues include how e library staff are obtained, trained and retained in order to carry out this work. E-library projects in Nigeria are most likely to have problems recruiting and retaining staff with the right skills across the sector because the Library Schools do not offer relevant courses at the moment. Thought also needs to be given to staffing structures which are currently biased in favour of traditional library roles. There may be a need in many organisations to review the fundamental organisational structure to see whether it is best able to deliver the wide range of services required by e library. A virtual or digital library can therefore be defined as a collection of library resources in electronic/digital format at various locations, which can be accessed and used with great ease using computer information technologies for the purpose of teaching, study, research, learning, leisure, and decision-making. 10
  • 11. Electronic Resources Taking Nigeria as an example, improving the quality of libraries in the higher education system will improve the quality of the products of the system. In recent times and as attested to by the findings of a 2001 Nigerian Institute of Social and Economic Research/World Bank report on the quality of Nigerian Universities, the competencies demonstrated by university graduates are "lowering at an alarming rate". The poor state of academic libraries was implicated as a major cause. The Nigerian virtual library project is a justifiable venture for bolstering higher education quality. In another sense, the virtual library will enable students, lecturers, and other scholars to profit more fully from electronic communications revolution by having access to databases critical for their research and teaching. Within the higher education system in majority of African universities, libraries are far from being up-to-date. Books, journals, abstracts and other collections are not current. The typical setting is to have a few fairly recent titles and a fairly large collection of old titles. There are gaps in sequence which could be critical for knowledge generation and dissemination. As a result of the above lapses, the importance of virtual or digital libraries in African universities can never be overemphasized. A digital library scheme will facilitate access to a vast collection of books and journal, titles from as far as back in time as possible. A subscribing library in Nigeria or any other African university will be several times richer and 11
  • 12. current in its collection of books and journals than presently the case. Estimates by the www.virtuallibrary.com for 2001 showed that the installation and running cost of a virtual academic library in a university is a mere .015% of the cost of establishing a "real" academic library and less than 2% of the operating cost. All the higher education institutions in Nigeria have physical libraries which require about 1 billion Naira in capital, recurrent, and maintenance cost annually. This type of electronic library resources can be shared by all institutions at a fraction of the total cost required to support all the physical libraries within the higher education system in the country (Ogunsola and Okusaga, 2008). Furthermore, it is projected that 1,000 electronic databases/resources are equivalent to 30,000 volumes of printed materials. These will require 2,650m2 of shelf space alone. Thus, minimal resources can be mobilized for maximum advantage in terms of library development in Nigeria and other developing countries. In recent times, post-secondary educational institutions have been under tremendous pressure for change as a response to demising budget, need to reach students other than their traditional clientele, and adapt current development in information technology for their delivery of institution. As a result many institutions of higher learning worldwide have turned towards electronic networking in academic services. The virtual or digital library also provides a platform for sharing knowledge. It is not a one-way flow from resource-rich to 12
  • 13. resource-poor countries. Instead, it has been set up for uniformity in the interchange of ideas. Consequently while universities in Nigeria and other developing countries will take advantage of down loading materials from the developed world, such universities will have the opportunity of uploading output of research in the form of books, dissertation//theses and journals to the global network of virtual libraries. Also, differences in access to information technology and the ability to participate fully in global electronic information networks is in itself a measure of the unequal distribution of power in today's increasingly connected global economy and polity. In Nigeria, for example, there are very few people with the advanced training that enables them to contribute fully to new technology about electronic information systems. It is precisely because of this situation of inequality that Nigeria and other developing countries should be included in developing new knowledge in these areas. It must also be realized that many of the print materials held in collections in Nigerian Universities, particularly older historical manuscripts, are deteriorating rapidly. Some materials cannot even be consulted by researchers for fear of accelerating their decline. This is the trend in many other African countries. Many research institutes and libraries, have suffered from deep funding cuts since 1980s, and collections of all kinds have not been adequately maintained. Preservation is central to maintaining the quality, longevity, integrity and accessibility of data. 13
  • 14. Digitalization within the framework of the virtual library project can be used to create a high-quality copy of an item, thus protecting the original and ensuring that the information that it contains is both permanently preserved and made accessible. Although traditional channels of communication will remain important, the new information and communication technologies hold great potential for broadly disseminating knowledge at low cost, and for reducing knowledge gaps within countries and between industrial and developing countries. In a broad sense as revealed by Ogunsola (2004) access to the right information at the right time gives people greater control over their destinies. As a result of all these global technological changes, the purposes of higher education have been transformed. According to Capron (2000), mail, telephone, TV and radio, books, newspapers and periodicals are the traditional ways by which users sent and received information. However, data communication systems have been evolving since the mid-1960s. It must be realized that Africa's development hinges on effectively participating in the information society, and this requires low-cost Internet access. Yet Africa has the most expensive Internet access in the world partly because its Internet traffic transits through Internet exchange points in the US or Europe. As a result, Africans must pay "long-distance" charges, and data transfer speeds are slow. Thus, the digital divide continues to widen. This is one of the constraints militating against 14
  • 15. digital library development in our higher education institutions. As pointed out by Rosenberg (2005), Africa has 13% of the world's population but only 2% of the world's telephone lines and 1% of Internet connectivity. It is also noted that up country or newer university libraries and (in multi-site libraries) branch libraries lag behind in Internet connectivity. Programmes that assume all libraries within a region or countries that have the same needs and aspirations are unlikely to succeed. Therefore as most African countries still do not have good access to the Internet; online resources like digital libraries or the Internet are not yet the solutions to bridging the digital divide. Hence, one can confidently conclude that traditional libraries are still alive and this will continue for a long time especially in developing countries. The paper acknowledges that the Internet will eventually take over in Africa as the means of providing access to digital academic information. As such, African governments are urged to continue to look at ways in which they can improve their national access to reliable and cost-efficient online access.In addition, to paid resources, there are millions of open access sources that are available with no cost to most of us. It is estimated that more one million full text books are available in global market. Furthermore, numerous government documents, academic pages, and thousands peer reviewed open access journals are available via World Wide Web. One of the well-known examples is “Directory of Open Access Journal” provide 15
  • 16. more than seven thousands academic journals. In addition, thousands of magazines and newspapers from around glob are freely available via the internet. CURRENT AND GLOBAL TREND OF THE NEW ERA LIBRARIANS The new era librarian is a technology application leader who works with other members of theinformation management team to design and evaluate systems for information access that meet userneeds. Where required, the new era librarian provides instruction and support so that end users canmake optimal use of the information resources available to them. The new era librarian is capable of working in the hybrid world of print and electronic media and providing the best mix of informationresources in the most appropriate formats for the environment. The new era librarian plays a key role in developing information policy for the organization ensuring that access to all information resources -- from internal records to external databases – is provided in the most strategically-Effective and cost-effective manner. The new era librarian also plays another important role in ensuring that contractual, legal and ethical obligations regarding information use are met. The electronic information age provides new opportunities fororganizations to produce as well as use information products. New era librarians, giventheirfamiliarity with the information marketplace, can be key contributors to the development, marketingand use of information products. 16
  • 17. New era librarians are knowledge-based practitioners who use research as a foundation for theirown professional practice and who support the conduct of research through their professionalassociations. Research has shown that the provision of appropriate information can lead to: betterinformeddecision-making; the ability to proceed to the next step in a project or task; improvedrelations with a client; and the exploitation of new business opportunities. The right information at the right time can also benefit the organization by saving the time of highly paid employees,avoiding poor business decisions, and even direct loss of funds. In the information age, new era librarians are essential -- by responding with a sense of urgency tocritical information needs they provide the information edge for the knowledge-based organization.In order to fulfill this key information role, new era librarians require two main types ofcompetencies:Professionalcompetencies relate to the special librarian's knowledge in the areas of information resources, information access, technology, management and research and the ability to use theseareas of knowledge as a basis for providing library and information services.Personal competencies represent a set of skills, attitudes and values that enable librarians to workefficiently; be good communicators; focus on continuing learning throughout their careers;demonstrate the value-added nature of their contributions; and survive in the new world of work. The following sections highlight the major professional and personal competencies of new eralibrarians: 17
  • 18. Professional Competencies • has expert knowledge of the content of information resources, including the ability to criticallyevaluate and filter them • has specialized subject knowledge appropriate to the business of the organization or client • develops and manages convenient, accessible and cost-effective information services that arealigned with the strategic directions of the organization • provides excellent instruction and support for library and information service users • assesses information needs and designs and markets value-added information services andproducts to meet identified needs • uses appropriate information technology to acquire, organize and disseminate information • uses appropriate business and management approaches to communicate the importance ofinformation services to senior management • develops specialized information products for use inside or outside the organization or byindividual clients • evaluates the outcomes of information use and conducts research related to the solution ofinformation management problems • Continually improves information services in response to the changing needs 18
  • 19. • is an effective member of the senior management team and a consultant to the organization oninformation issues Personal Competencies • committed to service excellence • seeks out challenges and sees new opportunities both inside and outside the library • sees the big picture • creates an environment of mutual respect and trust • has effective communications skills • Works well with others in a team • provides leadership • plans, prioritizes and focuses on what is critical • committed to lifelong learning and personal career planning • have personal business skills and creates new opportunities • recognizes the value of professional networking and solidarity • is flexible and positive in a time of continuing change From the preceding section it would seem that there is an abundance of potential roles for thelibrarian. To take up these roles will require careful and timely preparation. Preparedness is a keyissue in repositioning ourselves for new roles. Preparedness includes content knowledge and relatedskills but, more importantly, 19
  • 20. it includes survival skills. The following are a few suggestions thatcould also shape the teaching approach, assessment methods, etc. Survival skills could include theability to: • carry out environmental scanning and rapid decision-making • critically analyze the professional domain and where it is heading • employ time management to keep librarians from putting off preparing for new roles • manage change • work collaboratively (it is impossible to monitor new developments alone) • study independently • think creatively • assess one's strengths, weaknesses and progress in continuing learning When considering the roles that have been discussed and their requirements, it seems that, apartfrom survival skills, new era librarians should focus more on affective skills and characteristicssuch as: • enthusiasm for life-long learning and new roles • will-power (because nothing will come easily) • assertiveness • creative thinking • self-confidence 20
  • 21. • innovativeness Conclusion Librarianship has undergone a radical change in recent years, which will be continued in the future. As libraries have changed, so too, has the role of the librarian. Increasingly librarians have assumed the role of educator to teach their users how to find information both in the library and over electronic networks. Public librarians have expanded their roles by providing local community information through publicly assessable computing systems. Some librarians are experts on computers and software. Others are concerned with how computer technologies can preserve the human cultural records of the past or assure that library collections on crumbling paper or in old computer files can still be used by people many centuries in the future. The work of librarians has moved outside library walls. Librarians have begun to work in the information industry as salespeople, designers of new information systems, researchers, and information analysts. They are also found in such fields as marketing and public relations and in such organizations as law firms, where staffs need rapid access to information. It must be realized that despite the changes in the roles and functions of libraries over the course of history their cultural role has not. Libraries remain responsible for acquiring or providing access to books, periodicals, and other media that meet 21
  • 22. the educational, recreational, and informational needs of their users. They continue to keep the business, legal, historical, and religious record of a civilization. They are the place where a toddler can hear his or her first story and a scholar can carry out his or her research. New technologies are dramatically increasing the accessibility of information, and librarians are adapting to the evolving needs of users that emerge from the adoption of these new technologies. Technological advances have presented the opportunity of automating some aspects of traditional libraries. By deciding to change to digital production, a traditional library would make it much easier to cooperate with other libraries around the world. The more that a library can communicate with others the more they will be able to learn what has already been done. One of the ways we waste time and money is to try to invent everything ourselves. Whatever you are trying to do in developing your library, you can guarantee that somebody else has already done something similar. If we are working with traditional methods and the only means that we have of sending materials to other institutions is by the post, then it is understandable that libraries tend to concentrate on their own affairs and their own public. It takes weeks to communicate with other libraries then the efforts becomes too much and it is faster to produce materials than to borrow it, if however, libraries can start to use the Internet to exchange information and materials, the exchange can happen in 22
  • 23. seconds. The digital library offers more possibilities for enhanced scholarly communication. The Internet and related technologies such as electronic mail enable collaborative projects to be undertaken between geographically distant groups. All developing nations can derive tremendous advantages from this technology for updating the knowledge of its researchers and scientists. The entire world is going online. The agenda for global preparedness includes the development of telecommunications and Internet infrastructure. Technology is the backbone of digital library, and the centre piece of preparedness is the expansion of technology in Nigeria and other developing countries. 23
  • 24. REFRENCES Aina, L.O. (2004). Coping with the challenges of library and information services delivery: The need for institutionalized professional development. Paper delivered at the Nigerian Library Association 42nd National Conference and AGM at Akure, Nigeria June 20-25, 2004: 5. Ajayi, G.O. (2000). Challenges to Nigeria of globalization and the information age. Proceedings of workshop on National Information and Communication Infrastructures Policy Plans and Strategies. Abuja, Nigeria, March 28-30, 2000: 10. Akintunde S.A. (2004). Libraries as tools for ICT development. Paper delivered at the Nigerian Library Association 42nd National Conference and AGM at Akure, Nigeria June 20-25, 2004: 10. Akpan, E.O. (2001). The virtual library. Blueprint on the National Virtual Library Project. Federal Ministry of Education, Lagos, Nigeria, Section C: 20. Capron, H.L. (2000). Computers: Tools for an information age. New Jersey: Prentice Hall. 24
  • 25. Irokwe, O.P. (2001). A blueprint for implementing digital libraries in Nigerian universities. Blueprint on the National Virtual Library Project. Federal Ministry of Education, Lagos, Nigeria. Section C: 8 Lancaster, F. W. (1997). Artificial Intelligence and Expert System Technologies: Prospects. In:Libraries for the New Millennium: Implications for Managers. London: Library Association Publishing, 19 - 37. Mulla, K.R. (2006). E-resources and services in engineering college libraries: A case study. Electronic Journal of Academic and Special Librarianship 7(1). Ogunsola, L.A. (2004). Nigerian university libraries and the challenges of globalization: The way forward. Electronic Journal of Academic and Special Librarianship 5(2-3) Ogunsola, L.A., & Okusaga. T.O. (2008). Establishing virtual libraries in African universities: Problems and prospects. Ozean Journal of Social Sciences 1 (1). 2008: 43-52. Olaosun, M.A. (2007). The librarian is dead, long live the librarian. A Valedictory Lecture by Michael Adebayo Olaosun at OAU Ile-Ife, Nigeria, Wednesday, 11 April, 2007: 1-14. Osundina, O. (1973). The relationship between information science and librarianship: A viewpoint. Nigerian Libraries 9 (1&2): 47. Rosenberg, D. (2005). Towards the digital library in Africa: An investigation to establish the current status of university libraries. Available:http://www.inasp.info/pubs. 25
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