From the librarygarden: Balancing technology in library service

by Karen Klapperstuck

There is no shortage of continuing education opportunities for librarians. I think we naturally tend toward collaboration and harmony. Earlier this week, while many librarians were in Monterey, CA for Internet Librarian, I attended NJLA’s first Adult Services Forum. On the same day, David Lee King and Michael Porter launched their new video and multimedia collaboration project, Library 101. All three of these focus on something that I have been pondering a lot lately: how, why and in what format we provide services (to all our patrons). Those thoughts cannot be separated from my concern over the division that is created by the acceptance of technology in library service.

Let me start by saying that I suffer from a serious case of technolust. I really love having new technology at my fingertips! But I also have a fair amount of restraint and often will wait to purchase something until (almost) all the kinks are worked out. However, I know that, just from my family and friends, most people are not yet comfortable with a wide range of technologies. As a librarian, I feel that it is important for the library to be a safe and comfortable place to expose people to web 2.0 (and beyond) and new ways of doing things.

John Porcaro (JP) said during his presentation at the Adult Services Forum that he finds librarians are often ahead of the curve compared with other departments and professions when it comes to new technology. This is not the stereotype that people have of libraries and librarians. Just do a Google search on “libraries are dead”: 79,000 results! Not all these websites actually support that idea but some clearly do. The common thread is that unless we do something about the PERCEPTION of libraries, they will die. And isn’t that what we are ultimately fighting against? Both internal and external stereotypes of what libraries and librarians were, are and are going to be.

The Library 101 project looks at what we are doing and what we need to think about doing to stay relevant. And I’m all for that! With a fun music video (with lots of familiar faces in it!), thoughtful essays, and 101 resources and things to know (RTK), Library 101 gathers together all the stuff libraries have been doing and are currently trying to do. The Library 101 project also reminded me that I’m not the only one who thinks that being a librarian can be fun and wants to share that with the world….Read entire excellent post here: http://librarygarden.net/2009/11/02/balancing-technology-in-library-service/

What are medical libraries to do? From the Countway at Harvard…

From JDD:  My last post had to do with the future of hospital libraries and librarians and Connie Schardt outlined what the MLA is doing.  This, from Harvard, addresses what libraries in medical schools need to prepare themselves to do. (If we/they are not already!)

Posted by Isaac (“Zak”) Kohane August 26, 2009 HERE in Countway’s blog…

This is not an abstract question about the future of libraries, although that is also an interesting question. It is a question about what the medical school accrediting organizations have determined. “The Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) is the nationally recognized accrediting authority for medical education programs leading to the M.D. degree in U.S. and Canadian medical schools. The LCME is sponsored by the Association of American Medical Colleges and the American Medical Association.” and this is what they had to say (the bold face is mine for emphasis):

D.        Information Resources and Library Services

ER-11 The medical school must have access to well-maintained library and information facilities, sufficient in size, breadth of holdings, and information technology to support its education and other missions.

There should be physical or electronic access to leading biomedical, clinical, and other relevant periodicals, the current numbers of which should be readily available. The library and other learning resource centers must be equipped to allow students to access information electronically, as well as to use self-instructional materials.

ER-12 The library and information services staff must be responsive to the needs of the faculty, residents and students of the medical school.

A professional staff should supervise the library and information services, and provide training in information management skills. The library and information services staff should be familiar with current regional and national information resources and data systems, and with contemporary information technology.

[Revised annotation approved by the LCME in October 2007 and effective immediately.]

Both school officials and library/information services staff should facilitate access of faculty, residents, and medical students to information resources, addressing their needs for information during extended hours and at dispersed sites.

(This is taken from: http://www.lcme.org/functions2008jun.pdf found at:http://www.lcme.org/standard.htm
Hat tip David Osterbur.)

These are important recommendations and ones which foreshadow trends from the very near future. We have embraced this educational mission from access of electronic resources to teaching biomedical researchers how to perform bioinformatics-enabled research (see the bioinformatics nanocourses offered to all by Reddy Galli— details here ). The central question is whether librarian training will embrace the information technology that will be required to keep libraries current and relevant to their patrons. The answer to that question will determine where the future librarians are trained and that will in turn determine how central libraries remain to the academic mission.

MY question about all of us is will we librarians (and students and recent grads) embrace the idea of acquiring and advancing these new skills, and is the answer related to where we are in our career development?  Are we willing to take the time to learn this new stuff, and are we willing to wait for salaries to catch up that reflect a new breed of librarian??  Will acquiring new skills make us more employable or help protect our jobs and our libraries? I used to think YES, but am not so sure these days…

Read the blog at http://hmscountway.blogspot.com/

David Rothman (who will be in AZ in January) speaks at CHLA

David, as always, offers much food for thought!

“Technology in Libraries: Providing Access, Linking Communities” — Registration and Presentation Submissions Now Open

The Medical Library Group of Southern California and Arizona (MLGSCA), with funding support from the NN/LM Pacific Southwest Region, is planning a one day symposium that will focus on the application of innovative technologies that build a sense of community, connecting users both within the library and the greater organization. “Technology in Libraries: Providing Access, Linking Communities” will be held at the Cerritos Public Library in Cerritos, CA on Friday March 6, 2009.

This conference will highlight:

• The use of wikis, blogs, and RSS feeds and other Web 2.0 Tools
• The role of libraries in using technology to connect communities
• Investigation of issues of accessibility to electronic resources and tools
• Details on the incorporation of low cost/high impact and easy-to-use technologies into the library experience
• Innovative uses of technology in delivering library instruction or doing outreach to users…

For more info and to register, visit:  http://nnlm.gov/psr/newsletter/?p=483

Check out these awesome YouTube videos for librarians…

from the Accredited Degrees blog, by Laura Milligan

Librarians should no longer be thought of as fuddy duddy types with long dusty cardigans or pince-nez dangling around their necks. These days, public librarians and academic librarians are on the cutting edge, dedicated to bringing their resources and their patrons into the 21st century with technology. Librarians are also bloggers, IT professionals, database managers, technology mavens; and these YouTube videos and tutorials are just for them. Visit: http://www.accrediteddldegrees.com/2008/100-awesome-youtube-vids-for-librarians/

Top Tech Trends Panel Enlightens Despite Technology Troubles

Josh Hadro — Library Journal, 7/3/2008 7:55:00 AM

• Perennial favorites open source, APIs, and mobile devices given as top trends, among others
• Technology glitches during streaming video, distracting chat room discussion during panel
• Karen Coyle: Future may not involve libraries “if we don’t make some extreme changes.”

The Top Tech Trends panel convening ten library technology heavyweights, including two virtual participants, spoke to a packed room on Sunday afternoon of the 2008 ALA Annual conference in Anaheim, CA. Topics identified by the Library Information and Technology Association (LITA) speakers included perennial favorites such as open source software and Application Programming Interfaces (APIs), as well as more conceptual trends like the increasing demands on bandwidth and infrastructure, the growing usage of mobile devices, and the future of bibliographic control. MORE HERE:

and here:  http://www.librarywebchic.net/wordpress/2008/06/30/top-tech-trends-ala-2008/