VIRTUAL LIBRARIES and
The Future of Scholarly
Communications
Robert D. Stueart
InformationTechnology
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Microcomputers
Optical discs
Others mass storage media
Telecommunications
Digital images
Computer graphics
Multimedia
Compression technologies
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 Internet
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Articles
Books
Other papers
Raw data
Video
Audio
Interactive discussions
Advertisements
Individual Library
• Stand alone
• Worth measured by:
Size of collection
Subject strength
4 Phases of Library
Development
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Paper Library
Automated Library
Electronic Library
Digital 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:
• 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
• 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
INFORMATION
PARADIGM SHIFT
Resources
Preserve
Purvey
Own Collection
One Medium
Virtual Library
Multiple Media
Services
Storage facility
Custodial
Just in case
Supermarket
Access and Deliver
Just in time delivery
Users
Wait for Users to Come
Promote Links to Users
Staff Authority
User Empowerment
Two Questions
• What does it cost to have materials /
services available?
• What does it cost not of having access
to materials / services?
Dichotomy of
Resources
On - site ownership when :
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Library serves as archive
cost - effective to purchase
access is constant (reserve)
difficult in terms of technology
Access online when :
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less expensive
timely and simple
only way to access
enhances information
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 Piracy
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Books
Journals
Video tapes
Audio tapes
Broadcast materials
Computer software
Compact discs
Conflict
• 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
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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
ENLIGHTMENT
WISDOM
UNDERSTANDING
KNOWLEDGE
INFORMATION
DATA
Information Policies
• Access to Information
• Use of Information
Ethics 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:
• Customers
• Competition
• Change
TYPES 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 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
• 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 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
- 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
FORCES OF CHANGE
LIMITED
FINANCIAL
INVESTMENTS
ACCELERATED
INFORMATION &
COST
THE LIBRARY OR
INFORMATION CENTER
INFORMATION
TECHNOLOGY
USER EDUCATION AND
EXPECTATIONS
STRATEGIC PLANNING
IS
• MOST OFTEN ASSOCIATED WITH
GROWTH; BUT
• EQUALLY IMPORTANT FOR:
MAINTENANCE OF CURRENT
EFFORTS; OR
• RETRENCHMENT
PLANNING IS BOTH:
A BEHAVIOR
A PROCESS
STRATEGIC PLANNING
IS 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 IMPERATIVE
STRATEGIC PLANNING EXERCISES
CAN REFINE AN ORGANIZATION’S
SENSE OF PURPOSE AND GIVE
DIRECTION. IT CAN RENEW THE
ORGANIZATION’S PURPOSE.
STRATEGIC PLANNING
IS THE PROCESS OF:
• TRANSLATING DECISIONS
INTO POLICIES; AND
• POLICIES INTO ACTION
BENEFITS 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)
• 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 :
• SELF-ANALYSIS AND SELF-STUDY
• IDENTIFYING STRENGTHS AND
WEAKNESSES
• DEVELOPED WITHIN A
FRAMEWORK OF PHYSICAL AND
FINANCIAL CAPABILITIES
STRATEGIC PLANNING
ACTIVITIES INVOLVE:
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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
• 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
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STRENGTHS
WEAKNESSES
OPPORTUNITIES
THREATS
Internal-Climate - External Environment
Environment
Climate
Work demands
External regulations
Morale
Technology
Work-family blend
Cooperation
Versus
Competetion
LOOKING AROUND
Multi-cultural Society
Demographics
Attitude toward information
dervices
Experience
Versus
Risk-taking
Participatory style
Information Services:
Opportunities and Constraints
Opportunities
Constraints
Interactive systems
Lack of staff
Budget
More resources
Automation
Conflicting
perceptions
of service
Information Service
Information and
referral service
Marketing
Increase users quality of
collections and access
Limited
bibliographic
control
Apathy of potential
ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS
PEST
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POLITICAL
ECONOMIC
SOCIAL
TECHNOLOGICAL
POLITICAL
Intellectual property
issues, governments
react to change
ECONOMIC
exchange rates;
publishers prices,
varying tax revenues,
inflation
PEST
ANALYSIS
SOCIAL
economically
disadvantaged,
disenfranchised,
TECHNOLOGICAL:
Globilization,
technological
environment ubiquitous
Factors that Impact on the Quality of
Information Services
Technical support, i.e.
Online services, computer access, etc.
Organizational climate
and management style
Other factors
Quality of
Information Services
Information needs of clientele
Physical organization and
location of resources
Bibliographic control
over information
Staff skills and
competence
Size/type of collections (resources, database)
or access to outside sources
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
WHO
CLIENTS
WHY
WHAT
ACTIVITIES
HOW
SERVICES
VISION
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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
MISSION
• 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 information
2. How it is used and managed
3. Systems, mechanisms, institutions, and tools
to facilitate this use
4. 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 selfinstructional tools, to reach all students
(customers) in a timely and convenient
manner.
RESOURCES FOR
STRATEGIC PLANNING
TANGIBLE INPUT
• strategy
• cash
• policy
TANGIBLE OUTPUT
• growth
• quality
RESOURCES FOR
STRATEGIC PLANNING
INTANGIBLE INPUT
• culture/values
• mission
• vision
INTANGIBLE OUTPUT
• commitment
• trust/team spirit
• satisfaction