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Competency H: Demonstrate proficiency in the use of current information and
communication technologies, and other related technologies, as they affect the resources
and uses of libraries and other types of information providing entities.
Introduction
My first memory of using a library comes from when I was in elementary school during
the 1980s. Every two weeks my class would visit our school library, and the routine was always
the same: We entered the library, sat down near the librarian’s desk, said “Good morning, Mrs.
Meerson” in unison, listened to her read a story, then had an opportunity to select one book from
the stacks to check out. My experience can be thought of as being quintessentially traditional.
When I first started working for San Diego Public Library in 1993, things weren’t much
different. A number of the branch libraries still had traditional card catalog collections in
addition to computer terminals providing dedicated access to a rudimentary electronic library
catalog. At that point in time the libraries in our system did not offer resources such as computers
to access the Internet, and most of the patrons frequenting libraries were interested in checking
out materials or simply using the library as a quiet place to study. However, it was not long
before things quickly changed.
Looking at the advancements in information and communication technologies employed
by San Diego Public Library, it is amazing how many changes have taken place in such a
relatively short span of time. An online library catalog replaced the previous clunky information
retrieval system, not to mention the analog card catalogs that were seeing little to no use. Public
typewriters went into disuse and were replaced with computer workstations that provided word
processing services as well as Internet access. Many reference materials and subscriptions to
periodicals were replaced with electronic resources that provided the same information in a more
timely and relevant manner. Patrons gained the ability to check their accounts and renew
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materials online, submit reference questions by e-mail or cellular phone text message, remotely
access electronic resources like databases and eBooks, and even interact with library staff
members through social networking sites like Facebook. All things considered, the changes in
information and communication technologies has significantly affected the types of resources
our libraries offer, the methods by which patrons use and access information and resources, and
the ways in which patrons and library staff members interact.
Though the function of libraries as providers of information has remained constant from
the more traditional era of library use, the ways in which information is organized, presented,
and accessed is vastly different. In the past, library patrons generally had to visit a library to
access information and resources. Today, this is simply not the case. In fact, perhaps other than
to apply for a library card, users may not even need to step foot in a library because they can
make use of a great deal of resources from home. Libraries will continue to offer reasons for
patrons to visit, such as hosting programs and events, but the ways information is organized and
presented has certainly shifted the manner in which users search for information. With a San
Diego Public Library card, for example, a user can remotely access a wide range of resources
including periodical databases, readers’ advisory services, examination study guides, information
about businesses, and even one-on-one online tutoring. None of this was possible a decade ago.
Librarians and information professionals need to embrace and master new information
and communication technologies if they plan to keep up with user demand and expectations.
Remaining stagnant will quickly put a library into irrelevance in terms of providing users with
the information and resources they seek, so keeping up with current technological trends and
changes is critical for libraries to fulfill their functions. Though users have more access to
information, they also have more information to access, meaning they may become overloaded
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in trying to retrieve the specific information they are seeking. Therefore, librarians and
information professionals will prove to be crucial pathfinders through the information overload.
Ultimately, new technologies are simply additional tools which librarians and information
professionals can use to provide essential services, but tools have no worth if not wielded
correctly and efficiently.
Competency Development
My first piece of evidence comes from Professor Jonathan Hunt’s “Materials for Young
Adults” (LIBR 265) course. Entitled “Digital Resources Review,” the document is an
examination and critique of a number of digital resources aimed at Young Adults. Though all
library patrons are beginning to demonstrate new expectations in terms of the information and
communication technologies libraries offer and utilize, it is the younger groups of library users
such as teenagers to whom resources such as databases, video games, and websites will have the
most appeal to. In the document I examine the use of digital recourses by teens at the Malcolm X
Library. The largest electronic resource teens at the library are interested in is computers with
Internet access so they can visit social networking sites or play online video games with other
players. In that sense, the public access computers can be considered communicative
technologies, and the library has increased the number of computers offered to meet demand. In
terms of information technologies, there is degree of distrust of digital resources amongst many
teens. This apprehension stems from many teens not understanding the differences between the
types of information digital resources offer as opposed to what exists on the Web. For instance,
often teenage patrons will inform me their teacher required them to conduct research using books
as opposed to the Web, and there appears to be a lack of comprehension that conducting research
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using digital sources such as periodical databases provides users with the same level of quality
control and relevancy found in print sources. Obviously, more outreach and promotion of the
value and function of digital resources is needed.
Though new information and communication technologies are often replacing previous
resources and services offered by libraries and information centers, not all traditional materials
and resources will become completely irrelevant and unnecessary. In fact, numerous newer
information and communication technologies act to bolster or supplement existing technologies
and resources. Also, new technologies can often be worked into already-existing library
resources and services. In Dr. Henry Lowood’s “Gaming and Libraries” course, I examined the
ways video games could be incorporated into a traditional library Summer Reading Program
aimed at Young Adults. As we learned in the course, video games aren’t just for recreational
purposes, but also hold the potential for expressing ideas and disseminating information. My
project, “A Very Tolkien Summer,” provides a hypothetical scenario of utilizing the online video
game “The Lord of the Rings” into a broader Summer Reading Program focusing on J.R.R.
Tolkien’s literature. “The Lord of the Rings” is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game
(MMORPG) in which players must work together to complete missions in a persistent virtual
world. MMORPGs like “The Lord of the Rings” require a great deal of interaction and
cooperation between players, and in many ways its persistent online world represents a type of
communication technology that could be used by information professionals to interact with
patrons and distribute information. In fact, similar online virtual worlds such as that of “Second
Life” have already been used for such purposes, including by San José State University’s School
of Library and Information Science. “A Very Tolkien Summer” provides a glimpse at the ways
new technologies are shaping the resources and services libraries offer, and its online
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environment represents the type of virtual platform librarians and information professionals may
eventually find themselves practicing in more regularly.
My third piece of evidence, “Website Benchmark Study,” is a team project completed for
Professor Joe Matthews’ “Research Methods” (LIBR 285) course. My teammates and I
compared and critiqued twelve different academic library websites on criteria such as the general
design and layout, the ease of accessing information, the ease of use of the library’s web catalog,
the accessibility of useful and relevant electronic resources, the ability for site visitors to submit
comments and feedback, and the regularity of updates to the site. My role in the team project was
to write the literature review, select websites to critique, and collaborate in the creation of the
evaluation criteria. Library websites have become digital gateways to services and represent a
technology that is both informational and communicative. On most library websites, not only can
users find general information such as phone numbers and hours of operation, but they can also
access a library’s web catalog, databases, and other electronic sources of information. At the
same time, library websites provide a means for communication, such as submitting questions
and comments, making purchase suggestions, or even providing content by contributing reviews
or adding metadata tags to catalog records. Therefore, the effectiveness of a library’s website
affects the ability of users to access information and communicate with library staff, so an
efficient and intuitive design is critical.
The ubiquity of social networking has not gone unnoticed by librarians and information
professionals, and many libraries and information centers now have their own pages on popular
social networking sites. My final piece of evidence is the Malcolm X Library’s Facebook page,
which I created and regularly update. Our library uses Facebook as a way to notify patrons of our
services, promote upcoming library events, and interact with members of the community. Social
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networking websites like Facebook provide an important way for libraries to communicate and
spread information to users, though it can be argued this practice is still very much in its infancy.
The digital divide is still alive and well, and only a portion of all library users have access to the
technological tools necessary to communicate with librarians and information professionals
remotely. Still, it is pretty incredible to think that from anywhere in the world a user can pull a
Web-enabled device out of their pocket and visit my library’s Facebook page to find general
information such as our hours of operation, view photos from library programs, explore
upcoming events, follow links to electronic resources, and post a question or comment for our
staff to respond to. In short, social networking tools like the Malcolm X Library’s Facebook page
represent a future in which information access and communication with information
professionals will be conducted in a personalized digital space.
Evidences

H1. Digital Resources Review
o Examines the use of digital resources by teens and critiques a number of digital
resources aimed at Young Adults.

H2. A Very Tolkien Summer
o Explores the possibility of incorporating new technology resources into traditional
library services and examines the importance of virtual worlds as social
communicative technologies.

H3. Website Benchmark Study
o Provides a comparison and evaluation of the usefulness of academic library
websites and the importance their design plays in addressing the needs of users.
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
H4. Malcolm X Library Facebook Page
o Demonstrates a real-world use of a social networking website as a communication
and information technology.
Concluding Remarks
The advent of new technological advances has changed the resources libraries offer and
the services they provide. New information technologies such as electronic databases hold the
potential to provide users with access to a greater volume and diversity of information, and in
many instances this information can be accessed remotely. At the same time, the increase in
available information has in some ways made it more difficult for users to retrieve the specific
information they are searching for, and having a means with which to communicate with
librarians and information professionals will continue to be crucial. Already, the new information
and communication technologies that have developed have changed the services libraries offer
and the manner through which users can access information and interact with librarians and
information professionals. Furthermore, libraries are beginning to offer new kinds of services
and incorporate new technologies into already-existing services. Though the role of libraries as
information providers is likely to continue, there is little doubt that the ways in which libraries
organize, present, and disseminate information will continue to change in line with information
and communication technologies as well as users’ needs and expectations. Librarians and
information professionals need to utilize new technologies in order to provide optimum levels of
service to users, and by being proactive libraries will continue to play a part in shaping the ways
information is stored and accessed through emerging technologies.