virtually irrelevant: the digital library conundrum
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Virtually Irrelevant: The Digital Library Conundrum. Professor Derek Law, University of Strathclyde. Five themes. Professional self-confidence E-collection development Content production not just consumption Training Preservation. Clearing the Ground. - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
Virtually Irrelevant: Virtually Irrelevant: The Digital Library The Digital Library ConundrumConundrumProfessor Derek Law, Professor Derek Law,
University of StrathclydeUniversity of Strathclyde
Five themesFive themes
Professional self-confidenceProfessional self-confidence E-collection developmentE-collection development Content production Content production not justnot just
consumptionconsumption TrainingTraining PreservationPreservation
Clearing the GroundClearing the Ground
The paperless library is as likely as The paperless library is as likely as the paperless toiletthe paperless toilet
The Kennedy Centre and the The Kennedy Centre and the importance of staff importance of staff
Involvement or commitment?Involvement or commitment? I’ll repeat what I agree with and I’ll repeat what I agree with and
ignore the rest – an SDI service!ignore the rest – an SDI service! My examples are ScottishMy examples are Scottish
End of the story for End of the story for librarians?librarians?
““The services provided by The services provided by librarians have become librarians have become less important with the less important with the development of development of technology that allows technology that allows students and staff to students and staff to conduct research with conduct research with relatively little guidance”relatively little guidance”
““The process of literature The process of literature searches is substantially searches is substantially deskilled by online deskilled by online bibliographical resources”bibliographical resources”
University of Wales Bangor: Consultation Paper University of Wales Bangor: Consultation Paper 20052005
The future…..?The future…..?
“Oh, like you know something the Internet doesn’t know”
Scenario PlanningScenario Planning
Four scenarios or approachesFour scenarios or approaches Explore only preferred scenarioExplore only preferred scenario Peep into what I hope we’ll be doingPeep into what I hope we’ll be doing May not be the same as we will be May not be the same as we will be
doingdoing
Scenario Plan A: For Scenario Plan A: For babiesbabies
““Always keep a-Always keep a-hold of nurse, for hold of nurse, for fear of finding fear of finding something worse”something worse”
Hilaire BellocHilaire Belloc
Scenario Plan B: For Scenario Plan B: For TeenagersTeenagers
““When in danger When in danger or in doubt, or in doubt,
Run in circles, Run in circles, scream and shout”scream and shout”
Hilaire BellocHilaire Belloc
Scenario Plan C: AdultsScenario Plan C: Adults
““Get your Get your retaliatioretaliation in first”n in first”
Carwyn James: Carwyn James: Welsh Rugby Welsh Rugby CoachCoach
Scenario Plan D: Wise Scenario Plan D: Wise EldersElders
““It’s better to seek It’s better to seek forgiveness than forgiveness than permission”permission”
President John F Kennedy – or President John F Kennedy – or Thomas MoreThomas More
Where we are nowWhere we are now Hybrid librariesHybrid libraries Google and the satisfied Google and the satisfied
ineptinept Struggling with Struggling with
redefinition of scholarly redefinition of scholarly communicationcommunication
Big deals (ending?)Big deals (ending?) E-books are toysE-books are toys Images the next Images the next
frontier?frontier?
Underpinning philosophyUnderpinning philosophy
The Vesalius ConundrumThe Vesalius Conundrum This is rocket science not a plug in the wallThis is rocket science not a plug in the wall Ease of use = “the satisfied inept”Ease of use = “the satisfied inept” IT Skills Gap is growing IT Skills Gap is growing (Production<demand)(Production<demand)
Public sector bodies are producers not just Public sector bodies are producers not just consumers of informationconsumers of information
The Internet is AT PRESENT very flawed as a The Internet is AT PRESENT very flawed as a teaching and learning toolteaching and learning tool
User not technology User not technology drivendriven
The Library as placeThe Library as place Second most used public serviceSecond most used public service University space has not grownUniversity space has not grown
Staff and students are library Staff and students are library conservativesconservatives
Collection focussedCollection focussed ““Sustainable use of heritage resources”Sustainable use of heritage resources”
Failing to build research collectionsFailing to build research collections Standing on the shoulders of pygmiesStanding on the shoulders of pygmies
No focus on e-servicesNo focus on e-services
The Bad NewsThe Bad News
There has never been a correlation There has never been a correlation between library use and class of between library use and class of degreedegree
There is not a correlation between There is not a correlation between research quality and library quality or research quality and library quality or sizesize
SO, we must stake out our turf and SO, we must stake out our turf and assert relevance or others will move inassert relevance or others will move in
More of the same?More of the same?
Sourdust: Keeper Sourdust: Keeper of the Rituals and of the Rituals and Master of the Master of the CeremoniesCeremonies
Old Wine in New BottlesOld Wine in New Bottles
The future lies in the pastThe future lies in the past The International Library MovementThe International Library Movement
Co-operation, co-operation, co-Co-operation, co-operation, co-operationoperation
UAP and UBCUAP and UBC Document SupplyDocument Supply Selection, storage and supportSelection, storage and support
Trust Me I’m a LibrarianTrust Me I’m a Librarian
““People become librarians because they know People become librarians because they know too much. Their knowledge extends beyond too much. Their knowledge extends beyond mere categories. They cannot be confined to mere categories. They cannot be confined to disciplines. Librarians are all-knowing and all-disciplines. Librarians are all-knowing and all-seeing. They bring order to chaos. They bring seeing. They bring order to chaos. They bring wisdom and culture to the masses. They wisdom and culture to the masses. They preserve every aspect of human knowledge. preserve every aspect of human knowledge. Librarians rule. And they will kick the crap out Librarians rule. And they will kick the crap out of anyone who says otherwise.” of anyone who says otherwise.” (Olson, 2000) (Olson, 2000)
RequirementsRequirements
Go to new placesGo to new places Investigate, report and IMPLEMENTInvestigate, report and IMPLEMENT Let the organisation know you are doing Let the organisation know you are doing
thisthis Lights are hidden under bushels for a reasonLights are hidden under bushels for a reason
He who pays the piper may call the tune He who pays the piper may call the tune – but that doesn’t guarantee an audience– but that doesn’t guarantee an audience
The Scottish National The Scottish National Antarctic Expedition, Antarctic Expedition, 19021902
Shared services as well as Shared services as well as contentcontent
7x24 reference service with UTS7x24 reference service with UTS Shared ILL Department discussedShared ILL Department discussed Shared skills training for usersShared skills training for users Information literacy and the death Information literacy and the death
of Googleof Google
GooglewhackingGooglewhacking
Your goal: find Your goal: find that elusive that elusive query (two query (two words - words - no no quote marksquote marks) ) with a single, with a single, solitary resultsolitary result ! !
Jesuitical cauliflowerJesuitical cauliflower Unpowered popemobileUnpowered popemobile BuckminsterfullerineBuckminsterfullerine sundaesundae Hydroxylated Hydroxylated
marmalademarmalade Comparative unicyclistComparative unicyclist Sousaphone wasabiSousaphone wasabi
Building research Building research collections for the futurecollections for the future
Endangered contentEndangered content Web sites, lab books, ephemera, e-Web sites, lab books, ephemera, e-
mail, word processed files, mail, word processed files, spreadsheets etc etcspreadsheets etc etc
Present research builds on the Present research builds on the collections of the pastcollections of the past
This is your chance to be included!!This is your chance to be included!!
Information arbitrageInformation arbitrage
Identifying productsIdentifying products Identifying value for moneyIdentifying value for money Identifying sites – Los AlamosIdentifying sites – Los Alamos Is the Pareto Principle relevant?Is the Pareto Principle relevant? Information without walls Information without walls
supporting the communitysupporting the community Independent, authoritative and rightIndependent, authoritative and right
Law’s LawsLaw’s Laws
1. 1. Good Information systems Good Information systems will drive out badwill drive out bad
Producers not mouse Producers not mouse potatoespotatoes
OAIOAI SPARCSPARC BIOMED CentralBIOMED Central The end of big deals?The end of big deals? The failure of the STM modelThe failure of the STM model Scientific learned societies are worse than Scientific learned societies are worse than
publisherspublishers SAPIENS and HOMO SAPIENSSAPIENS and HOMO SAPIENS Publishing supports research NOT THE Publishing supports research NOT THE
OTHER WAY ROUNDOTHER WAY ROUND
A rose by any other nameA rose by any other name
TaxonomyTaxonomy OntologyOntology Semantic webSemantic web MetadataMetadata The organisation of The organisation of
knowledge knowledge
Law’s LawsLaw’s Laws
1. 1. Good Information systems Good Information systems will drive out badwill drive out bad
2. User Friendly systems 2. User Friendly systems aren’taren’t
TrainingTraining
The satisfied inept – staff as well as The satisfied inept – staff as well as studentsstudents
13% get information from the 13% get information from the LibraryLibrary
But it’s also a:But it’s also a: cybersandpitcybersandpit dating agencydating agency learning spacelearning space 7x24 chatroom7x24 chatroom Training groundTraining ground
Data preservation and Data preservation and trusted repositoriestrusted repositories
Building research collections for the Building research collections for the futurefuture
Clearing the studyClearing the study Under-resourcing the IT serviceUnder-resourcing the IT service Repository standardsRepository standards
Trusted repositories: Trusted repositories: the five Maori teststhe five Maori tests
Receive the information with Receive the information with accuracyaccuracyStore the information with integrity Store the information with integrity beyond doubtbeyond doubtRetrieve the information without Retrieve the information without amendmentamendmentApply appropriate judgement in the Apply appropriate judgement in the use of the informationuse of the informationPass the information on appropriatelyPass the information on appropriately
Road Runners Rool, OKRoad Runners Rool, OK Grown up thinkingGrown up thinking Joined up networksJoined up networks Seamless Martini educationSeamless Martini education Capitalism and communism according to Capitalism and communism according to
KeynesKeynes A people at ease with a knowledge society A people at ease with a knowledge society
having survived the information revolutionhaving survived the information revolution ““those best able to cope with change are those best able to cope with change are
those who are already on the leading edge” those who are already on the leading edge”
ConclusionConclusion
Selection, storage and support Selection, storage and support remain our key activitiesremain our key activities
The organisation of knowledge is The organisation of knowledge is our key skill our key skill
Don’t go to Bangor unless you want Don’t go to Bangor unless you want to observe arrogant stupidityto observe arrogant stupidity
Derek’s Digital DictumsDerek’s Digital Dictums
Make big plans and aim highMake big plans and aim high A hot bed of cold feetA hot bed of cold feet Losers confuse destiny with bad managementLosers confuse destiny with bad management Do what’s crazy, not what’s stupidDo what’s crazy, not what’s stupid It is better to be approximately right than It is better to be approximately right than
precisely wrongprecisely wrong You have to be clever enough to do it and You have to be clever enough to do it and
stupid enough to think it mattersstupid enough to think it matters Do lunch or be lunchDo lunch or be lunch When you come to a crossroads – take itWhen you come to a crossroads – take it