Libraries without Walls 5: The Distributed Delivery of Library and Information Services

Citation

Freemans, M. (2005), "Libraries without Walls 5: The Distributed Delivery of Library and Information Services", New Library World, Vol. 106 No. 1/2, pp. 98-98. https://doi.org/10.1108/03074800510575410

Another interesting and comprehensive production from the publishing arm of CILIP, well assembled and produced, reasonably priced and with good, concise and relevant references. The book is, in essence, an edited collection of papers given by a wide range of authoritative contributors to the fifth “Libraries without Walls” Conference held in Greece in 2003.

The pervasiveness of ICT is being well utilised by libraries throughout the world to deliver LIS services to a growing audience of users – many of whom are in remote or difficult locations. On‐line learning and Esupport for learners, creation of user networks, VLEs, are all contributing effectively towards the growth of “libraries without walls” throughout the world. Information literacy is becoming increasingly important and there are some interesting accounts on work in this area, e.g. by Gill Needham on how to foster this valuable skill amongst lifelong learners and library users. The research perspective is well covered, with good, clear papers from Margaret Wallis and Julie Carpenter on the disparate information needs of researchers. The information needs of Africa are also well covered in a lucid paper from Marie Botha of Technikon South Africa, pointing out that telecommunications diffusion in Africa is the weakest in the world and that Africa has, at 2 per cent, the least number of telephones per capita on the planet: all these factors contributing immeasurably towards a conspicuous “digital divide” and a growing information poverty, particularly in rural areas. Other writers, ranging from Greek to Nigerian, cover various interesting subtopics well, such as the accessibility of digital libraries and moderating the dependency of some users upon librarians to provide all their information requirements.

Overall, a well‐written and timely book, of interest to many LIS workers and with a good international flavour which will illuminate and inspire many LIS practitioners in this country.