VIRTUAL LIBRARIES and

The Future of Scholarly Communications

Robert D. Stueart

InformationTechnologyInformationTechnology

• Microcomputers

• Optical discs

• Others mass storage media

• Telecommunications

• Digital images

• Computer graphics

• Multimedia

• Compression technologies

Information on Internet:Some Shortcomings

Information on Internet:Some Shortcomings

• Lack of regulations about what can be placed on the network

• Few standards for entry

• Sparse checks and balances on accuracy and authenticity

Information on the

Internet may be:

+ un-attributed

+ undated

+un-annotated

+un-trustworthy

Information on InternetInformation on Internet

• Articles

• Books

• Other papers

• Raw data

• Video

• Audio

• Interactive discussions

• Advertisements

Individual LibraryIndividual Library

• Stand alone

• Worth measured by:

Size of collectionSubject strength

4 Phases of Library Development

4 Phases of Library Development

• Paper Library

• Automated Library

• Electronic Library

• Digital Library

Technology Extending 4 Walls of Library

Technology Extending 4 Walls of Library

• Making resources within library available beyond its walls

• Making resources beyond its walls available within the library

LIBRARIANS are:LIBRARIANS are:

• Negotiators - identifying needs

• Facilitators - providing effective search strategies

• Educators - familiar with literature

• Information intermediaries - link between seekers of

information and the information itself

Challenges to Sharing Resources

Challenges to Sharing Resources

• Rapid pace of change• Steadily expanding volume of recorded knowledge

in print and others media• Development of information technologies• Acceleration of change in international relations• Introduction of several communications models• Rapid rate of information access• Need to collaborate with other segments of

information environment

ResourcesPreserve Purvey

Own Collection Virtual LibraryOne Medium Multiple Media

ServicesStorage facility SupermarketCustodial Access and DeliverJust in case Just in time delivery

Users

Wait for Users to Come Promote Links to Users

Staff Authority User Empowerment

INFORMATIONINFORMATIONPARADIGM SHIFTPARADIGM SHIFT

Two QuestionsTwo Questions

• What does it cost to have materials / services available?

• What does it cost not of having access to materials / services?

Dichotomy of Resources

Dichotomy of Resources

On - site ownership when :– Library serves as archive – cost - effective to purchase– access is constant (reserve)– difficult in terms of technology

Access online when :– less expensive – timely and simple– only way to access– enhances information

World Intellectual Property Organization

(W I P O)

World Intellectual Property Organization

(W I P O)

Deliberations revealed :– extraordinary complexities in legal and

technical arena– significant financial interests at risk – diversity of technology and network

experience– concentrations of intellectual property

creation in the west

Fair Use and PiracyFair Use and Piracy

• Books • Journals• Video tapes• Audio tapes• Broadcast materials• Computer software• Compact discs

ConflictConflict

• Information for all (Free)

• Information as Commodity (Fee)

• Issue of access - does not rest with technology, rather:

cost and pricing needs and reactions policies and regulations

INFORMATION ACCESS BARRIERS

INFORMATION ACCESS BARRIERS

• legal intervention

• physical distance and time • affordable for all • intellectual restrictions

• organized or rather unorganized • copyright • technological sophistication

• language and culture

HIERARCHY OF INFORMATION ASSIMILATION

DATADATA

INFORMATIONINFORMATION

KNOWLEDGEKNOWLEDGE

UNDERSTANDINGUNDERSTANDING

WISDOMWISDOM

ENLIGHTMENTENLIGHTMENT

Information PoliciesInformation Policies

• Access to Information

• Use of Information

Ethics in CyberspaceEthics in Cyberspace

• Unlimited access

• Privacy

• Right to know

INFORMATION INDUSTRIES

• Expansion of the information industries

• Growing use of information as a governmental, educational, and corporate resource

• Use of information by citizens to improve their lives

Nothing is predictable Three driving forces:

Nothing is predictable Three driving forces:

• Customers

• Competition

• Change

TYPES OF CHANGETYPES OF CHANGE

• UNPLANNED: FORCING THE ORGANIZATION TO REACT - CHANGE IS OUT OF CONTROL OR MISMANAGED AND CAN PROVE DESTRUCTIVE

• PLANNED: BRINGS ABOUT RENEWAL AND RECOMMITMENT

RESISTENCE TO CHANGERESISTENCE TO CHANGE

• People don’t understand or do not want to understand

• People have not been fully informed• People’s habits and securities are

threatened• People are happy with the status quo• People have vested interests and

definite perceptions of what is needed and wanted

Change cannot occur by edict alone

Change cannot occur by edict alone

• it is not possible for management to decree change and then expect others to make it happen.

• implementing new ideas and services requires participation by those who will be affected by such change.

CHANGE INVOLVESCHANGE INVOLVES

- Designing programs to meet the markets needs and desires

- Using effective financing (of resources)

- Communications (of services)

- Distribution (of systems)

CHANGE INVOLVES:

A deliberate progression toward:• Renewing the organization• Reordering priorities• Retraining staff• Reorganizing space• Renewing equipment• Restructuring the hierarchy• Redirecting financial resources

CHANGES THAT AFFECT STRATEGIC PLANNING

CHANGES THAT AFFECT STRATEGIC PLANNING

- INTRODUCTION OF NEW TECHNOLOGIES- EMERGENCE OF A WORLD ECONOMY- DEVELOPMENT OF A CHANGING POLITICAL AND SOCIAL

MATRIX- CREATION OF A “KNOWLEDGE ECONOMY” WITH FUNDS

SPENT ON PROCURING IDEAS AND INFORMATION- KNOWLEDGE THE CENTRAL FACTOR OF PRODUCTION

• THEREFORE: STRATEGIC PLANNING PROVIDES INFORMATION ON EXTERNAL AND INTERNAL FORCES PROMOTING AND FACILITATING CHANGE

THE LIBRARY OR

INFORMATION CENTER

FORCES OF CHANGELIMITED

FINANCIAL INVESTMENTS

ACCELERATED

INFORMATION &

COST

INFORMATION

TECHNOLOGY

USER EDUCATION AND

EXPECTATIONS

STRATEGIC PLANNINGIS

STRATEGIC PLANNINGIS

• MOST OFTEN ASSOCIATED WITH GROWTH; BUT

• EQUALLY IMPORTANT FOR: MAINTENANCE OF CURRENT EFFORTS; OR

• RETRENCHMENT

PLANNING IS BOTH:

A BEHAVIOR

A PROCESS

STRATEGIC PLANNINGIS A TOOL:

STRATEGIC PLANNINGIS A TOOL:

• FOR EFFECTIVE IDENTIFICATION OF MISSION

• DEVELOPMENT OF ORGANIZATIONAL PRIORITIES

Planning is Forecasting

“Planning is an effort to anticipate the future and the inevitable change that comes with it”

MANAGEMENT IMPERATIVEMANAGEMENT IMPERATIVE

STRATEGIC PLANNING EXERCISES CAN REFINE AN ORGANIZATION’S SENSE OF PURPOSE AND GIVE DIRECTION. IT CAN RENEW THE ORGANIZATION’S PURPOSE.

STRATEGIC PLANNINGIS THE PROCESS OF:

STRATEGIC PLANNINGIS THE PROCESS OF:

• TRANSLATING DECISIONS INTO POLICIES; AND

• POLICIES INTO ACTION

BENEFITS OF PLANNINGBENEFITS OF PLANNING

• Helps to identify options and possibilities

• Encouragement to consider the needs of clientele and community at large

• Monitor trends in the environment

• Gives direction to emphasizing the mission

BENEFITS (cont’d)BENEFITS (cont’d)

• Helps set priorities for resource and orient toward the future

• Cope with continued uncertainty and risk

• Increase control over environmental change

• Allocate resources to priorities identified

ADDED BENEFIT :ADDED BENEFIT :

• SELF-ANALYSIS AND SELF-STUDY

• IDENTIFYING STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES

• DEVELOPED WITHIN A FRAMEWORK OF PHYSICAL AND FINANCIAL CAPABILITIES

STRATEGIC PLANNINGACTIVITIES INVOLVE: STRATEGIC PLANNINGACTIVITIES INVOLVE:

• VALUES• VISION• MISSION• GOALS• ENVIRONMENTAL SCAN• INTERNAL ASSESSMENT• OBJECTIVES/STRATEGIES• ACTIVITIES, TASKE AND INITIATIVES• POLICY ISSUES• ACTION PLAN - MARKETING• EVALUATION

WHERE DO WE WANT TO BE?

• VISION

• MISSION

• GOALS

THE PLANNING PROCESS THE PLANNING PROCESS

• Preparing for planning task• Gathering information about the organization

and its community• Selecting roles and defining mission• Establishing goals and objectives• Selecting activities and tasks• Reporting results• Evaluating accomplishments

HOW WILL WE GET THERE?

• STRATEGIES

• OBJECTIVES

• PROGRAMS

INTERNAL ASSESSMENT - SWOT

INTERNAL ASSESSMENT - SWOT

• STRENGTHS

• WEAKNESSES

• OPPORTUNITIES

• THREATS

ClimateEnvironment

Internal-Climate - External Environment

LOOKING AROUND

External regulations

Technology

Multi-cultural Society

Work-family blend

Demographics

Attitude toward informationdervices

Work demands

Morale CooperationVersusCompetetion

ExperienceVersusRisk-taking

Participatory style

ConstraintsOpportunities

Information Services:Opportunities and Constraints

Information Service

Interactive systems

More resources

Information and referral service

Automation

Marketing

Increase users quality of collections and access

Lack of staff

Budget Conflicting perceptions of service

Limited bibliographic control

Apathy of potential

ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS PEST

ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS PEST

• POLITICAL

• ECONOMIC

• SOCIAL

• TECHNOLOGICAL

PEST

ANALYSIS

POLITICALIntellectual property issues, governments

react to change

ECONOMIC

exchange rates;

publishers prices,

varying tax revenues,

inflation

SOCIAL

economically

disadvantaged,

disenfranchised,

TECHNOLOGICAL:

Globilization, technolog

ical environment ubiqui

tous

Quality of Information Services

Technical support, i.e.Online services, computer access, etc.

Organizational climate and management style

Bibliographic controlover information

Staff skills and competence

Size/type of collections (resources, database) or access to outside sources

Physical organization and location of resources

Information needs of clientele

Factors that Impact on the Quality ofInformation Services

Other factors

FROM ANALYSIS EMERGES UNDERSTANDING OF:

FROM ANALYSIS EMERGES UNDERSTANDING OF:

• WHAT THE ORGANIZATION IS• WHO IT SERVES• HOW IT INTENDS TO ACHIEVE

ITS PLAN BY IDENTIFYING PRIORITIES

Questions in the Process –Charting the Future

WHATACTIVITIES

HOWSERVICES

WHOCLIENTS

WHY

VISIONVISION

• FOCUSES ON A BETTER FUTURE• ENCOURAGES HOPES AND DREAMS• APPEALS TO COMMON VLAUES• STATES POSITIVE OUTCOMES• EMPHASIZES STRENGTHS OF UNIFIED GROUP• USES WORD PICTURES• COMMUNICATES ENTHUSIASM/EXCITEMENT

IT IS THE “WHY” STATEMENT

MISSIONMISSION

• WHO (CUSTOMERS)

• WHAT (SERVICES)

• HOW (ACTIVITIES)

Example of GOAL #1

• Prepare future information professionals to design and deliver information and instructional services, using various methodologies to meet the current and changing information needs for diverse communities in support of learning, understanding and knowledge development.

Example of OBJECTIVE #1 under GOAL #1

• Provide basic knowledge about theory, principles, and practices that are important for the provision of good information services, including instruction about:1. The nature of information2. How it is used and managed3. Systems, mechanisms, institutions, and tools to facilitate this use4. Those factors placed in the social, economic, political and technological context of society

STRATEGY #1 in relation to OBJECTIVE #1 under GOAL #1

• Teach, as appropriate, using new information technology and interactive instructional programs, including self-instructional tools, to reach all students (customers) in a timely and convenient manner.

RESOURCES FOR STRATEGIC PLANNING

RESOURCES FOR STRATEGIC PLANNING

TANGIBLE INPUT • strategy• cash• policyTANGIBLE OUTPUT• growth• quality

RESOURCES FOR STRATEGIC PLANNING

RESOURCES FOR STRATEGIC PLANNING

INTANGIBLE INPUT• culture/values• mission• visionINTANGIBLE OUTPUT• commitment• trust/team spirit• satisfaction