Future of Libraries in the Digital Revolution

Citation

Phillips, P.A. (2001), "Future of Libraries in the Digital Revolution", Library Hi Tech News, Vol. 18 No. 1. https://doi.org/10.1108/lhtn.2001.23918aac.005

Future of Libraries in the Digital Revolution

Patricia A. Phillips

Future of Libraries in the Digital Revolution

Jerry D. Campbell, Dean of Libraries at the University of Southern California, posed the basic question: What is a library? The characteristics of a library include

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  collections (knowledge, information, data),

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  functions/services (collect, organize, manage, help),

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  experts, and

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  buildings.

Images of libraries vary from the early Library of Alexandria and the monastic or chained libraries to the private collectors' libraries, the subject libraries, university libraries, and the modern library. Campbell questioned if the romanticized idea of a library had assumed mythic proportions with perceptions such as the library as the real university or the poor person's university, the heart of the university, the Library of record, the collective memory of civilization, and the library as a cultural institution.

Campbell suggests that today we are in the midst of a cosmic struggle. Can civilizations survive without libraries in buildings with paper publications? Would the lack of libraries cause higher education to crumble? If libraries as we know them fail, will the demand for information build a whole new path to knowledge? The definitions of libraries are changing. How much is our concept of library a function of recent history? How pertinent to the future are our beloved definitions of libraries? Does our concept limit our imaginations? Looking at new definitions, is the Internet a library? The Internet is missing the essential characteristics we use to define a library but more people use the Internet as a library than use libraries. Is the definition changing? Users are deaf to the arguments.

Looking at the digital universe, Campbell asks: can you imagine backfiles of all published knowledge available digitally? The digital universe has given rise to original/unique materials in digital format but can we use technology to save every remnant of human knowledge? Will topical search engines on the Web eventually match human selectivity or surpass it? Will Jeeves reach 55 per cent accuracy (a measure of the effectiveness of the reference function)? Can a library function without a live librarian involved? Will global commercial libraries serve a world population? Campbell did not provide answers to these questions.

He proceeded to discuss the impact of intellectual property on libraries including the practical evolution of copyright and the functions of libraries such as fair use copies, reserves, and structure and services. Some of the unknown implications of intellectual property include the following:

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  Will paper remain king?

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  Will there be digital access only?

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  Will there be a continuing mix?

The Internet is proving not to be intellectual property friendly for libraries. The Internet is also the ultimate access control with pay per view.

When looking at the questions of archiving, how much should be saved? Libraries have a legacy of collection building with a penchant of paper. Currently libraries are dealing with duplication of costs for print and digital access and the problem of critical mass collections. Will the failure to save everything stop civilization? In the area of distance learning, almost every school is experimenting with online distance courses but industry has also discovered the value of education for profit. Not-for-profit universities have to compete with industry.

Campbell concludes that the Internet will be the library of the future. The rise of large international providers of high-use digital publications will lead to the rapid decline of paper. Residential learning communities will continue to provide purpose for existing libraries. A few major libraries will continue as data sources. The next generation will define content and services on the Web. In the large auditorium, the relatively small number of librarians attending were almost lost and did not ask any questions at the end of Campbell's presentation.

Library Services for Florida's Distance Learners

This poster session was presented by Stephanie Race, Director of the Florida Distance Learning Reference and Referral Center. The information presented was also given in an OCLC-sponsored videoconference from duPage. As part of Florida Distance Learning Library Initiative (DDLI), the Reference and Referral Center (RRC) provides library services to the students and faculty of all distance education courses taught at the 73 regionally accredited colleges and universities in Florida. The 73 institutions comprise 10 state universities, 28 community colleges, and 35 independent academic institutions. The RRC is staffed by five full-time librarians, two part-time librarians, and two library science graduate students. The center's services are designed to complement the primary services provided by the distance learner's local library. The RRC provides the following services to the students and faculty of distance learning classes:

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  ready reference and research assistance;

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  advice on selecting and searching online catalogs and electronic databases;

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  citation information;

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  assistance with obtaining books and articles from a distance;

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  basic technical support;

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  on-site, online, and broadcast library instruction sessions;

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  development of course-specific Web pages;

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  creation of institution specific brochures and handouts; and

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  referrals to appropriate distance learning resources, agencies, and libraries.

Students enrolled in distance learning courses at Florida's accredited colleges and universities can ask for assistance with their research-related projects. Librarians at the RRC offer advice on how to do research from a distance. Students can use RRChat, software that provides the ability to "talk" using one's keyboard in real-time with other people on the Internet. Chat rooms offer an alternative to e-mail, telephone, regular mail, and in-person communication.

The Reference and Referral Center chose Chat software for the following reasons:

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  Students with different learning styles may feel more at ease with different modes of communication. The RRC strives to meet the needs of all distance learners.

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  Many distance learners have only one phone line and they cannot be online and on the telephone at the same time. Chat reference allows the student to communicate with a librarian in real-time without disconnecting from the Internet.

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  For distance learners who are comfortable with Internet technology, chat is already a familiar mode of communication.

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  The RRC's toll-free phone number is only available within the continental USA. Chat reference provides a cost-effective means for international distance learners to "talk" to a librarian.

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  Chat offers disabled distance learners another option for communicating with the RRC.

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  The chat software purchased by the RRC allows groups to meet in a chat room. A group of students can join a librarian in a "virtual classroom" for online instruction.

The RRChat Software is the Conference Room Professional Edition by WebMaster, Inc. (http://www.webmaster.com) and costs $795. It is compatible with UNIX Web server and allows for 1,000 simultaneous users. Additional software is available to log chat sessions. Librarians have the ability to silence, remove, or ban users from the room. It also has a profanity filter. It is free to the distance learners with no software to download or install.

The RRC staff notes the following considerations when preparing for the future:

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  Increasing student and faculty awareness of RRChat is essential for success.

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  Staffing continues to be an issue ­ finding the right balance of librarians and students.

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  Systems support will be an ongoing need.

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  Logging software will allow us to send students transcripts of chat sessions.

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  Hours of operation may need to be adjusted to meet users' needs.

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  A separate online evaluation form will be created to assess the effectiveness of chat instruction.

There are extensive Web sites that describe the Florida Distance Learning Reference and Referral Center at http://www.rrc.usf.edu.

Wireless Laptops for the Library and the Portable Classroom

This attracted a large audience, indicating the great interest in the topic among librarians, faculty, and information technology personnel. Four members of Carthage College Academic Information Services (Eugene Engeldinger, Angela Myatt Quick, Carol Sabbar, and Michael G. Love) co-presented the session. Carthage College in Wisconsin, a four-year liberal arts school affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church, is in the midst of a campus renaissance with extensive new construction and remodeling. In 1993, they merged the Library and academic computing into Academic Information Services (AIS), and later merged media services with AIS. AIS service philosophy gives top priority to Web-based electronic resources and a campuswide network with a port per pillow along with access from classrooms, offices, and labs. Despite the 53 teaching sites on campus in three academic buildings and eight non-teaching labs, the demand for computer resources exceeded the capacity. Students were being turned away in the library and there were not enough computer-equipped classrooms to support demonstration and hands-on learning.

Carthage College adopted wireless technology for the Library because they are in the process of building a new library and did not want to go to the expense of adding wiring to the existing building. Adding more workstations would also take away library space devoted to other library services. A laptop for every student would require too large an initial investment. Student demand for additional access to computing resources necessitated the use of wireless laptops that they can check out and use throughout the Library. The advantages of the wireless laptop solution include relatively little infrastructure preparation, mobility (one equipped cart provides technology to an entire building of classrooms), scalability, flexibility of space use, and relatively low cost. In addition, its use does not preclude other solutions at a later date.

The Academic Information Services developed the plan for implementation of wireless technology in the library and other sites on campus. They installed the necessary infrastructure including the point of presence access points. They found that each access point can connect up to 15 laptops but they recommend a maximum of 10 for the best performance. Speed can be up to 11mbps but they had 2mbps at the time of implementation. AIS equipped the laptops with standard PCMCIA cards and antennas.

The library set up each laptop to be checked out for two-hour reserve use. The batteries need recharging so the laptops are plugged in after being returned. In order to protect the laptop from tampering, they cover all of the pieces with silver tape and check when the laptop is returned to be sure the seal has not been broken.

Students use the laptops for email, Web surfing, word processing, spreadsheets, research, and creating PowerPoint presentations. The wireless laptops are immensely popular as evidenced by the videotape interviews with students and faculty presented during the session. Positive comments by users included the following:

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   Impressed by/comfortable with technology.

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     It is neat, it is awesome, it's cool and helpful, I really like the laptop, and it made me feel really comfortable.

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   Appreciated flexibility/variety in study space.

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     Nice to sit upstairs.

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     It is nice for "quiet" using of a computer.

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     It is convenient because you can take it anywhere and still use the Internet.

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     I could get my work done where there weren't so many people or distractions.

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     It was fun and easy to use, and not being tied down to one place was a real plus.

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     It was cool. I could bring it wherever I wanted in the library.

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     It was nice to be able to sit where I want to and use a computer.

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     It was convenient ­ especially for spreading books and papers on the table around the laptop for easy reference.

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   Thanks and gratitude for program.

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     I have used a laptop every day since we received them.

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     This computer is the best thing since sliced bread!

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     THANKS for having them available.

Negative comments related to connectivity problems, data speed, the mouse, and reliability of the network.

Library staff members have observed that the laptops are heavily used in group work but they are also used in quiet corners for private working conditions. Faculty use the wireless laptops for informal seminars and tutorials. Writing center staff use them for consultations. Traditional electronic classrooms usually are attached to a department or a program, thus making access more difficult. The traditional electronic classroom is not as flexible in terms of size, layout, or scheduling. The portable wireless electronic classroom can fit the needs of the classes.

The new library will have 500 data ports, both wired and wireless. It will have a combined reference desk and computer help desk. Carthage College is also testing locations for possible wireless use in the residence halls and the new Athletic Field House. The Web location for this presentation is http://www.carthage.edu/ais/media/present.htm.

Patricia A. Phillips is University Librarian, University of Texas at El Paso Library, El Paso, Texas. pphillip@libr.utep.edu