Paperless Academic Library?
This is something that causes a great deal of concern. If you can try to change my mind, please do!
There has been a great deal of discussion about whether academic libraries in the future will no longer have physical materials, but rather, only electronic materials. Does a college or university really NEED a physical library? My answer is YES. Below I have highlighted a few of my own concerns with moving from a physical library to a paperless foundation.
FIRST CONCERN: BEGINNING RESEARCH:
Pretend you are a new undergraduate. You are barraged with a variety of courses the first two years before deciding upon majors, and are given advice left and right about what direction to follow. Where do you start? For those who have been educated in a geographic area lacking strong public or school libraries, the academic library may be the first exposure to scholarly research materials. The university's library should serve as a base for beginning reference instruction, include books as well as online resources, and introduction to materials. I know in my own searches, I will use one set of words only to discover different words can yield better results. By having a set of books on a shelf with different titles and content, but within the same subject, students may be able to explore a more thorough understanding of their own research topics.
SECOND CONCERN: THE POOR STUDENT AND ACCESS
The absence of a library assumes a great deal about the economic circumstances of the student body. The mission of the library is to provide materials to support the student body and faculty. For some, this may mean checking-out textbooks which cannot be afforded. Sure, providing e-textbooks may potentially cost less for students, but will each student need a laptop to turn to page 52 in class and read aloud? Some students like the materiality and convenience of a book, and knowing said book will arrive on interlibrary loan in time for class. Some libraries do not like students holding on to textbook materials for a semester, but that is a different argument altogether…
The mission of higher education is to provide a worldly conscience. If the materials are not readily available, institutions are going to have a more difficult time fulfilling their mission.
THIRD CONCERN: ARE ELECTRONIC MATERIALS THE ONLY RESOURCES OUT THERE?
Just like we earthlings assume our planet is the only one with sustaining life, others assume all information can be provided through Google or a subscribed search engine. As librarians, we know this may not be the case. Or, the metadata could be stored but difficult to retrieve.
FOURTH CONSIDERATION: SPACE
If institutions of higher education no longer support libraries or books, what will they place value? Newly enrolled students may develop an understanding that other facilities are more important, like a hockey rink, or a bowling alley. Deemphasizing the role of the library further emphasizes the role of other buildings on campus. Many academic libraries, like Dominican University, have considered the importance of revamping the environment to provide a more comfortable, new-age look.
FIFTH CONCERN: PROFESSOR AND LIBRARIAN?
Will librarians continue to exist in wireless computer labs? Of course I see the necessity, but some academics may not. Currently, library staff and faculty are separated at most colleges to specialize their consecutive professions. They meet to discussion acquisition development. They each play a different role in the acquisitioning process. By eliminating the role of the librarian, the faculty may wear the suit of both purchaser and educator. Without a centralized area to collect materials, the institute of higher education may question allowing faculty to purchase materials that would not be made accessible to all. Will a library’s budget only be put toward electronic resources from that point forward? What if a good text is not offered in electronic format? Will it be scanned?
One has to wonder what a university without a library would be like, or how it would function in a decentralized research environment. Any thoughts?
There has been a great deal of discussion about whether academic libraries in the future will no longer have physical materials, but rather, only electronic materials. Does a college or university really NEED a physical library? My answer is YES. Below I have highlighted a few of my own concerns with moving from a physical library to a paperless foundation.
FIRST CONCERN: BEGINNING RESEARCH:
Pretend you are a new undergraduate. You are barraged with a variety of courses the first two years before deciding upon majors, and are given advice left and right about what direction to follow. Where do you start? For those who have been educated in a geographic area lacking strong public or school libraries, the academic library may be the first exposure to scholarly research materials. The university's library should serve as a base for beginning reference instruction, include books as well as online resources, and introduction to materials. I know in my own searches, I will use one set of words only to discover different words can yield better results. By having a set of books on a shelf with different titles and content, but within the same subject, students may be able to explore a more thorough understanding of their own research topics.
SECOND CONCERN: THE POOR STUDENT AND ACCESS
The absence of a library assumes a great deal about the economic circumstances of the student body. The mission of the library is to provide materials to support the student body and faculty. For some, this may mean checking-out textbooks which cannot be afforded. Sure, providing e-textbooks may potentially cost less for students, but will each student need a laptop to turn to page 52 in class and read aloud? Some students like the materiality and convenience of a book, and knowing said book will arrive on interlibrary loan in time for class. Some libraries do not like students holding on to textbook materials for a semester, but that is a different argument altogether…
The mission of higher education is to provide a worldly conscience. If the materials are not readily available, institutions are going to have a more difficult time fulfilling their mission.
THIRD CONCERN: ARE ELECTRONIC MATERIALS THE ONLY RESOURCES OUT THERE?
Just like we earthlings assume our planet is the only one with sustaining life, others assume all information can be provided through Google or a subscribed search engine. As librarians, we know this may not be the case. Or, the metadata could be stored but difficult to retrieve.
FOURTH CONSIDERATION: SPACE
If institutions of higher education no longer support libraries or books, what will they place value? Newly enrolled students may develop an understanding that other facilities are more important, like a hockey rink, or a bowling alley. Deemphasizing the role of the library further emphasizes the role of other buildings on campus. Many academic libraries, like Dominican University, have considered the importance of revamping the environment to provide a more comfortable, new-age look.
FIFTH CONCERN: PROFESSOR AND LIBRARIAN?
Will librarians continue to exist in wireless computer labs? Of course I see the necessity, but some academics may not. Currently, library staff and faculty are separated at most colleges to specialize their consecutive professions. They meet to discussion acquisition development. They each play a different role in the acquisitioning process. By eliminating the role of the librarian, the faculty may wear the suit of both purchaser and educator. Without a centralized area to collect materials, the institute of higher education may question allowing faculty to purchase materials that would not be made accessible to all. Will a library’s budget only be put toward electronic resources from that point forward? What if a good text is not offered in electronic format? Will it be scanned?
One has to wonder what a university without a library would be like, or how it would function in a decentralized research environment. Any thoughts?
posted by Gwyneth at 11:44 AM
3 Comments:
well said... Librarians need to be guides through onlione and paper resources!
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Hi, I ran across your blog and I'm glad that someone finds this issue to be of great importance! I agree with all of your points. I did a lot of print research as a research assistant during undergrad, and I believe that all students should have the skills to conduct print research. Even now, I prefer to find materials in print format rather than digital format. A paperless library seems nuts.
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