Content Listing

Part 4 - Library and information users and society
G. G. Chowdhury, Paul F. Burton, David McMenemy, Alan Poulter
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Librarianship

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20 December 2007, pp 141-144
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Summary

This part consists of chapters on the library as a social institution, services to library users, and government legislation and policies. It describes the principal professional and ethical issues with which the librarian is faced in providing contemporary library and information services. The technical and social developments of the past few decades have heightened the need to be aware of more traditional challenges such as the protection of intellectual property (copyright) but they have also given rise to newer concerns, including data protection and privacy and freedom of information. Moreover, the widespread use of digital information resources has led to questions about the (continuing) role of the library and the librarian. Early in the development of the internet and the web, the idea arose that libraries and librarians would become unnecessary: eventually all the information we would ever need would be available in digital form to anyone with the necessary technology, while search engines would let us find whatever we sought.
As the web grew in the number and nature of the resources it provided access to, and as more and more people began to use it (for a great variety of purposes), these claims began to appear less and less realistic. Finding what one wanted among the vast number of web pages became increasingly difficult: finding accurate information became even more difficult, because it was possible to publish on the web without any of the intermediary processes of peer review, refereeing, having to demonstrate a demand and so on. As with all technologies, the web is thus a double-edged sword:
1 It provides an outlet for those whose views might otherwise be censored or blocked for some reason.
2 It provides an outlet for minority views and ideas which might never find a large audience (for example, ethnic and cultural minorities).
3 It provides an outlet for minority interests, hobbies, etc.
4 It provides worldwide access to the latest research as well as to unique materials.
5 It can therefore be the greatest single medium for freedom of speech we have yet known.
However, it can also:
6 provide an outlet for views which many might consider abhorrent or offensive (e.g., racism, pornography), the publication of which in one jurisdiction would not otherwise be possible

11 - Cataloguing, bibliographic formats and metadata
from Part 3 - Information organization and access
G. G. Chowdhury, Paul F. Burton, David McMenemy, Alan Poulter
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Librarianship

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20 December 2007, pp 103-114
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Introduction
In the modern history of cataloguing several catalogue codes – tools used for preparing catalogues of bibliographic items – have emerged. The most prominent and widely used among them is the Anglo-American Cataloguing Rules, known under its second edition as AACR2. This is used as the de facto standard for cataloguing library resources all over the world, and the Online Computer Library Center (OCLC), the body responsible for the management of AACR2, has brought out guidelines for using AACR2 for cataloguing internet resources.
The main objective of this chapter is to provide an overview of the activities involved in cataloguing library resources, and the corresponding rules and standards/tools, and so on. The chapter also provides a brief introduction to AACR2, and some simple examples of catalogue records. After reading this chapter, readers should have an understanding of the basic concepts of cataloguing and catalogue records created according to AACR2.
History of library catalogues
Most of us are familiar with some form of catalogue, product catalogues (such as the Argos catalogue in the UK) being the most common, which simply speaking is a list of items, arranged in a specific order. A catalogue is formally defined as ‘a list of the contents of a particular collection of objects and is arranged in some definite order so as to facilitate the use of that collection, and a guide to its scope and content’ (Corbett, 1966, 297).
A library catalogue is defined as ‘an ordered compilation of item descriptions and sufficient information to afford access to entries’ (Clason, 1973). A library catalogue lets the user find out about a library's collection, i.e., it shows what the library has on a given subject, by a given author, and so on. A catalogue record aims to provide all the information of a given bibliographic item that is deemed necessary to get access to the item concerned.
Cataloguing is one of the oldest information organization activities and dates back over 2000 years. Evidence of some form of cataloguing activities has been noted as far back as 300 BC in the Library of Alexandria in ancient Egypt (Hanson and Daily, 1970).

5 - The future of libraries
from Part 1 - Libraries and information services: evolution or revolution?
G. G. Chowdhury, Paul F. Burton, David McMenemy, Alan Poulter
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Librarianship

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20 December 2007, pp 41-44
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Introduction
This chapter uses the example of J. C. R. Licklider and his works (1960, 1965, 1968) to introduce ideas about the technological future of libraries. It then examines how the concept of the library relates to the provision of information that the internet and its associated companies (e.g. Google) offer, and speculates on the consequences of digital information replacing non-digital information.
Libraries: evolution or revolution?
One of the most difficult things to do is predict the future. It is obvious looking back why what happened, happened, and what the important developments were. Looking forward, though, is fraught with problems. We each have a unique viewpoint. We know that some things that we now think of as important will not be in the future, and vice versa. We can only guess, not predict. Part 5, Library Technologies, investigates in more detail the current relationship between libraries and technology.
There is a rich and expansive literature on the development of, and possible futures for, libraries. Since the purpose here is to cover topics concisely, one example, a canonical one, from this literature will be chosen as the basis for discussion here.
J. C. R. Licklider was very possibly the first person to prophesy the death of the library, as he saw computer networks as bypassing libraries and delivering information direct to users (Licklider, 1965). To test the validity of this prophesy it is pertinent to know more about Licklider. What did he know? What was his perspective? He was writing a long time before the technological landscape we see today.
In 1960 Licklider wrote a famous paper which outlined the need for simpler interaction between computers and computer users. He was a pioneer of artificial intelligence (AI). Unlike many others in the field at the time, he never felt that people would be replaced by computer-based AI: ‘Men will set the goals, formulate the hypotheses, determine the criteria, and perform the evaluations. Computing machines will do the routinizable work that must be done to prepare the way for insights and decisions in technical and scientific thinking’ (Licklider, 1960).
Licklider was speculating about a global computer network, something he dubbed the ‘Galactic Network’, in 1962.

19 - Library management systems
from Part 5 - Library technologies
G. G. Chowdhury, Paul F. Burton, David McMenemy, Alan Poulter
Book:

Librarianship

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20 December 2007, pp 205-214
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Introduction
Like most organizations, libraries have a particular customization of ICT functions which serves their fundamental operational needs. However, this set of functions is not limited and there is the ever-present need to open library services up for users, both local and remote, to access and use. This chapter explores these issues.
Library management systems
Libraries have a long history of using computer systems to enhance their operations (Saffady, 1991). Library automation systems were early attempts, sometimes using completely home-grown software applications, to computerize library operations. Nowadays there is little need for pioneer work in this area and libraries will typically use a commercial library management system (LMS), except where their needs are unique (as in the case of national libraries or some special libraries) or they have the technical know-how to use a free, open-source LMS.
As introduced in Chapter 7, an LMS is primarily a tool for managing circulation of stock (Cohn, Kelsey and Fields, 2002; Morris and Dyer, 1998). In technical terms, a library management system is essentially a relational database customized for use in running a library and supporting its operations. As we have seen, databases underlie many organizational applications of computers. Like all computer software applications, library management systems started as proprietary applications running on proprietary systems. They have evolved so that most of them now run on standard equipment (PC compatibles or larger mini-computers) under de facto standard operating systems (e.g. Windows and UNIX), and follow standards in data and information formatting. So, for example, most current LMSs support web-browser interfaces for both customer- and staff-facing tasks. Like software applications generally, an LMS comes in modules, all of which share a common data format (or formats), but which perform different functions on that data. A useful directory of library management systems is provided by the Open Directory (http://dmoz.org/Reference/Libraries/Library_and_Information_Science/Software) and there is a fully functional online demo of an open-source LMS called Koha, (http:// liblime.com/demos), which shows most features of a typical LMS (see Figure 19.1). It will be used for screen-dumps illustrating the functions of LMSs discussed below.
Fundamentally an LMS does two things:
• It supports all the ‘back-end’ operations of a library – acquiring stock/information, cataloguing stock, loaning stock/disseminating information and reporting on these functions to enable effective service management.
• It enables users to find out what items or information a library has, and then borrow/access as appropriate their required items/information.

10 - Classification
from Part 3 - Information organization and access
G. G. Chowdhury, Paul F. Burton, David McMenemy, Alan Poulter
Book:

Librarianship

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20 December 2007, pp 89-102
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Introduction
Library and information services have developed and used several special tools, techniques and standards for organizing information resources on shelves in order to keep related items together, and, by analogy, to keep unrelated items apart. The main objective of this activity, called classification, is to facilitate easy location of, and thus access to, information resources in libraries. Modern day classification schemes – tools used for classification of bibliographic information resources – date back to the late 19th century, 1876 to be precise, when Melvil Dewey developed a systematic scheme of library classification that eventually became one of the most widely used tools for organizing library materials. Since then a number of library classification schemes have been developed to aid the process of organizing library materials in a systematic manner.
The main objective of this chapter is to provide an introduction to the concept and process of library classification. It begins with a brief introduction to the concept of library classification, and it then provides a brief overview of some major bibliographic classification systems. Space does not permit a comparison of the various library classification schemes, or a detailed discussion of the features of each. Nevertheless, after reading this chapter, readers should have an understanding of the basic concept of bibliographic classification and the principles of various bibliographic classification schemes.
Organizing information: classification
The process of organization of items takes place in all walks of life, consciously or unconsciously. Sometimes we organize items mentally and thus distinguish one item from another; in other cases we use some sort of formal method or approach that has been previously laid down and agreed upon. The process of organizing things in a systematic order is known as classification; it is a process by which our mind identifies an item and at the same time distinguishes it from others (Chowdhury and Chowdhury, 2007). Hunter (2002, 2) comments: ‘wherever one looks, examples of the use of classification can be found’.
For classification we use those characteristics of objects that are specifically useful for their identification (as well as distinction from one another) by the intended users. In the process of classification of objects we repeatedly apply the characteristics of the objects concerned, and thus form smaller and smaller groups at each stage.

17 - Fundamentals of computing and the information age
from Part 5 - Library technologies
G. G. Chowdhury, Paul F. Burton, David McMenemy, Alan Poulter
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Librarianship

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20 December 2007, pp 177-184
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Introduction
This section outlines the history of the computer and gives an introduction to the information age, where the effective use of information is a prerequisite for success in business, government and social life.
The roots of information technology
The first computers were people. There has always been a need to calculate, for example to work out balances in complex trading operations or to predict where stars will be in the sky at a certain point in the year. However, mental arithmetic can be both boring and prone to error, hence the invention of the first mechanical calculating devices many centuries ago. The earliest known tool for calculating is the abacus, and even today, a skilled abacus operator can work on addition and subtraction problems at the speed of a person equipped with a hand calculator. The oldest surviving abacus was used in 300 BC by the Babylonians.
Thinking Point
Computers are glorified counting devices, albeit extremely fast. Is this enough of a basis from which to develop intelligence? Is an intelligent computer possible?
In the early 19th century the British Empire straddled the world because of its control of the seas. Yet the British navy had to rely on a seven-volume set of navigation tables, which came with a companion volume of corrections for over 1000 numerical errors. The mathematician Charles Babbage proposed a steam-driven calculating machine, which he called the difference engine, which would be able to correctly compute tables of numbers such as navigation tables. His project foundered, despite being the most expensive government programme of its age – perhaps it was the earliest harbinger of current failures in large, government-funded IT projects.
Undaunted, Babbage proposed an even more grandiose idea, the analytical engine. This would be a general purpose calculation device. It would use punched cards, recently developed by the Frenchman Joseph Jacquard for controlling patterns output on looms. Babbage realized that punched cards could contain either the raw data or the instructions for the calculations to be performed on that data. Different punched patterns would equate to different data or instructions. Because of the connection to Jacquard's loom, Babbage called the two main parts of his analytical engine the ‘store’ and the ‘mill’, as both terms were used in the weaving industry.

25 - Education in librarianship
from Part 7 - Education and research in librarianship
G. G. Chowdhury, Paul F. Burton, David McMenemy, Alan Poulter
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Librarianship

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20 December 2007, pp 277-284
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Introduction
Education and training in modern librarianship began in the USA in the late 19th century and gradually spread there and to other countries in the world. Today formal education in librarianship is usually offered at the postgraduate level at universities throughout the world, though there are some undergraduate programmes too. The duration, content and nomenclature of the university courses vary significantly from one country to another, and even within the same country. However, on-the-job training and CPD programmes also play a major part in keeping library professionals up to date with the professional as well as technical developments that have an impact on the profession and the user community, and society at large. This chapter provides a brief history of library education, and an outline of the content and structure of various university courses in librarianship. It also provides a brief introduction to the concept of CPD and training programmes offered by various professional associations and organizations. The objective is to provide an overview of the nature and characteristics of education and training in librarianship in different parts of the world.
Education in librarianship: a brief history
Formal education in modern librarianship began in the late 19th century in the USA with the foundation of the School of Library Service in New York State University and subsequently at Columbia University by Melvil Dewey, and it remained an American phenomenon until after the First World War (Feather, 1997). These continued as mainly rather low-level training programmes until the 1920s when the research-led Graduate School of Library Science was established at the University of Chicago. In time several graduate programmes in librarianship were introduced at various American universities, and these courses were accredited by the American Library Association (ALA). The first formal course in librarianship in Canada was established in 1904 at McGill University, though it, like those in other North American universities, remained a rather low-level course until 1929, when an ALA-accredited diploma programme was introduced, and subsequently an ALA-accredited bachelor's programme began in 1931.

6 - Content, storage and delivery
from Part 2 - Library and information resources and services
G. G. Chowdhury, Paul F. Burton, David McMenemy, Alan Poulter
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Librarianship

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20 December 2007, pp 49-54
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Introduction
Writing in 1974, Atkinson suggested that solely the love of books was no longer an acceptable reason to wish to be a librarian. He stressed that, ‘For some considerable time now, that reason, alone and unqualified, has not been enough’ (Atkinson, 1974, 54). Yet even at the time of writing this book in 2007, this response is still a common one from applicants to librarianship courses who are asked why they wish to become a librarian. Atkinson went on to suggest that librarians ‘have long wished to change a popular image of themselves as effete, browsing booklovers’ (Ibid.).
The reality is that libraries have been about more than books for a long time, indeed for as long as libraries have existed there have been ephemeral items that were not books, such as manuscripts, pamphlets and the like. In the 21st century non-book material makes up a large proportion of library holdings for many institutions, and indeed the concept of the digital library, discussed in Chapter 20, is all about the electronic rather than the physical item. Therefore Atkinson is correct that love of the book as a format for delivery of content is not in and of itself a reasonable unqualified basis for wishing to pursue a career in libraries; but love of the content within regardless of format, and an associated desire to deliver that content to as many users as possible, certainly is. In the modern library the book is one of many formats that a library user may wish to consult, and modern librarians must be familiar with and value all equally if they are to deliver excellent service.
This chapter will discuss the range of materials now housed within libraries, and some of the challenges they present in terms of access and storage.
Delivery formats
Information, be it a fiction book, a reference book, a journal, a newspaper or a computer file, needs to be presented to users in a format that enables them to access the content. The format of delivery of information will govern how easy it is for them to access, how long it will take, and whether they require an intermediary or a specialist piece of equipment.

Part 1 - Libraries and information services: evolution or revolution?
G. G. Chowdhury, Paul F. Burton, David McMenemy, Alan Poulter
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Librarianship

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20 December 2007, pp 13-16
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Summary

This part provides an overview of libraries and library services. It builds on the outline history given in Chapter 1 by going into more detail about vital events in the recent history of libraries. There follows a general overview of the functions that go on in libraries which enable them to fulfil their mission. The services that libraries provide to their users are then explained in general terms. The various types of library (public, academic and special) are then delineated in more detail. The intention is to give a basic grasp of the nature of the library, which will be built upon in succeeding parts of the book.
Two particular features of libraries will also be covered in this part. Libraries are commonly recognized as physical spaces, and factors affecting library design will be explored. Having dealt with the history of libraries here, we also speculate on their future. So Part 1 is divided into four chapters:
Chapter 2: The history of libraries
Chapter 3: Types of library service and library
Chapter 4: Library design
Chapter 5: The future of libraries.
After reading these chapters, readers should have a knowledge of the core services, functions and types of library. They will have a broad picture of the historical origin of the different types of library and associated institutions. In particular they will understand the reasons for the physical layout of library buildings and have a broad conception of the possibilities the future holds for libraries.

Part 6 - Management and marketing in libraries
G. G. Chowdhury, Paul F. Burton, David McMenemy, Alan Poulter
Book:

Librarianship

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08 June 2018

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20 December 2007, pp 229-232
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Summary

This part of the book discusses the importance of management and marketing skills for librarians. It is highly likely that even in the first professional post new entrants to the profession gain after graduation they will be involved in some kind of management role, be it managing staff, managing budgets, developing policy or strategy documents, or implementing change within the organization. As their career develops they are likely to be involved in such decision-making with increasing regularity, thus an understanding of management theories and how they impact on the practice of librarianship is essential.
Management and marketing are skills that are applicable to many other professions as well as librarianship. Good professionals need to understand more than the unique skills of their chosen vocation if they are to be effective at practising their profession, and thus an understanding of how organizations function and how the professional operates within that structure is vital for professional success. The chapters in this section are arranged as follows:
Chapter 21: The importance of management in librarianship
Chapter 22: Core management skills
Chapter 23: Missions, planning, projects and partnerships
Chapter 24: Marketing and libraries.
A list of further reading follows.
After reading this part readers should be familiar with:
• how the philosophy of librarianship and management skills interact
• what makes a good manager
• the importance of good financial management
• the management of change
• performance measurement techniques used in libraries
• management and motivation of staff
• strategic planning, policy development and partnership working
• marketing theory and marketing of libraries.

9 - Preservation and digitization
from Part 2 - Library and information resources and services
G. G. Chowdhury, Paul F. Burton, David McMenemy, Alan Poulter
Book:

Librarianship

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20 December 2007, pp 73-84
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Summary

Introduction
This chapter discusses the preservation of library materials and the move towards digitization of library resources that has been growing in popularity in recent years. Preservation of the knowledge of humankind is a fundamental role for many libraries; however, the pressures to deliver such material to users can clash with that role, as increasing access to the original can see it becoming damaged. Digital technologies offer a potential solution to the access issue, as many users can access the same digital file in various locations. The issue of whether the digital surrogate can replace the original item is one that is hotly debated, however.
The chapter has four main aims:
• to discuss the role of different libraries in the issue of preservation
• to discuss the importance of digitization in the context of libraries
• to define file formats and popular software for digital conversion
• to highlight some examples of best practice.

Preservation

Preservation entails observing a library collection and monitoring its condition for deterioration, and ensuring any work necessary for the long-term survival of an item in that collection is considered and actioned. Part of managing a collection involves making sure that it remains in good condition: this is a test for libraries of all types, but especially those that are responsible for collections of old or fragile material. While a library can gain added prestige by holding collections of such material, it poses significant extra challenges for the librarian charged with the responsibility.

Libraries of all types that have been in existence for significant periods of time will be faced with the issue of preservation. It is essential to know how library materials deteriorate, how disasters such as floods or fire can affect a collection, what sorts of preventative measures can be taken, and how to take positive steps after the event.

The Library of Congress (2006) has produced an excellent set of guidelines for preservation of library materials, and the discussion below will summarize their advice on the care and preservation of different formats.

Preservation of library materials

As discussed earlier, the book can be a fragile item, and the more it is read by library users, the more chance there will be that it will deteriorate. Of concern should also be how the book is stored when in the library.

20 - Digital libraries
from Part 5 - Library technologies
G. G. Chowdhury, Paul F. Burton, David McMenemy, Alan Poulter
Book:

Librarianship

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20 December 2007, pp 215-228
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Summary

Introduction
Digital libraries embody the effects ICT changes have had on the form and function of libraries. Collections, services, users and the nature of library work are all challenged by this concept, which itself is somewhat fluid and difficult to pin down.
What is a digital library?
The term ‘digital library’ is one which is used both commonly and conspicuously but also incorrectly. Its commonly assumed definition is a library in which the collections and services of a ‘standard’ library have been translated into purely digital form. The problem with this is that there are probably only a tiny number of libraries that fit this definition. The vast majority of libraries in the information age still have significant ‘non-digital’ collections and still have a physical base in which the majority of their services, performed by librarians, are organized and delivered. The correct term for these is the ‘hybrid library’, one that provides a mixture of digital and non-digital resources and services. Most libraries today are in this position. However, since common usage has settled on digital library, that is the term which will be used to encapsulate the current form and role of libraries in the information age (Deagan and Tanner, 2002; Fox and Urs, 2002; Tedd and Large, 2005). The term ‘virtual library’ is also used (see Chapter 14) and refers to a library accessed in a non-physical manner.
Digital libraries are of interest to those outside the library profession: computer scientists research them, for example, looking at the technical issues in their operation (Arms, 2000). In recent decades governments have invested in research in digital libraries, to help realize their promise. As a result there are many projects to consider as possible sources of ideas for digital library developments. One such project outcome, Greenstone (www.greenstone.org), is a free open-source toolkit for developing digital libraries.
Digital libraries can be characterized by having:
• collections of items in a digital form
• an internet-based service location
• users who may be various and dispersed but are nevertheless interested in the Collections
• staff taking a less up-front role in service delivery, by replacing direct interaction with users with digital services development and interface design.

Epilogue
G. G. Chowdhury, Paul F. Burton, David McMenemy, Alan Poulter
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Librarianship

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20 December 2007, pp 299-300
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Summary

In this book we have attempted to present what we believe to be a core text for the profession of librarianship. At the end of the process, we have come to realize just what an ambitious exercise this has been. All four of the authors come from varied professional and research backgrounds, representing just a taste of the diversity that modern librarianship encompasses. We feel that this has been a strength of the work, as issues have been examined from multiple perspectives rather than merely one. The resulting content encompasses both the traditional and the modern, which reflects the nature of the profession neatly.
The skills dilemma
Very little of what librarians had to know 25 years ago has diminished; cataloguing and classification, reference skills, selection and acquisition, understanding user needs, and quality of service are all as relevant today as then. New knowledge has arrived in the form of technology, however, and modern librarians need to understand this area to a level that allows them to deliver services to users. The profession has not become a technical one, except in areas where it always has been so, such as systems work. However, an understanding of ICTs does have an essential service function for librarians in all sectors, and the opportunities it affords the profession to deliver exciting new pathways into information cannot be ignored. ICTs do not change the goals or values of the information worker; they merely alter how we deliver some of the services to the user.
Equally the expansion in teaching of management skills is also reflected in the core of librarianship, with new professionals needing to understand strategic planning, marketing, project working and partnerships – and of course the driver is always a better service for the customer.
Librarianship: the past and the future
The profession of librarianship is an important one for society. It is vital that new library and information professionals come equipped with as full an understanding of all aspects of the profession as is practicable. We hope within this text to have given an appropriate overview for the student of the profession, or the professional, who wishes to take his or her understanding into new areas.

24 - Marketing and libraries
from Part 6 - Management and marketing in libraries
G. G. Chowdhury, Paul F. Burton, David McMenemy, Alan Poulter
Book:

Librarianship

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Facet

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08 June 2018

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20 December 2007, pp 263-272
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Summary

Introduction
The previous chapters of this part discussed the importance of management skills and the involvement of the librarian in policy development and implementation. Yet all of this work is largely for naught if a library has no users. Thus marketing has become increasingly important for libraries of all kinds as they seek to reach potential library users with news about the services on offer.
On completion of this chapter readers should understand:
• the importance of marketing theories to the success of libraries
• how services marketing challenges the library manager
• how the service encounter between library user and staff affects service quality
• how rebranding is impacting on library services.

The importance of marketing to libraries

Libraries exist to provide services to users; in this way they can be compared to service industries. Indeed some commentators have argued that when discussing libraries and users we should adopt the language of the private sector and refer to library users as customers (Koontz, 2002). The majority of libraries are in public service roles, but whether public or private enterprises, the concepts of services marketing are indeed relevant. As one commentator has put it, ‘Librarians and information professionals are in the people business’ (de Saez, 2002, 1). Thus marketing theories neatly complement those of management, and an understanding of both is crucial for the modern professional charged with ensuring that his or her service is of high quality and well used.

The 4 Ps of marketing

One of the best-known aspects of marketing theory relates to the four Ps, otherwise known as the marketing mix. The four Ps are:

• product
• price
• place
• promotion.

How these obviously commercial terms relate to libraries is discussed below.

Product: in the context of libraries, the product is whatever the user needs. In a public library it can be the latest Harry Potter book, a DVD film or a music CD, or it can even be an entire range of stock. In a college library it can be a book, a database, or a successfully answered reference enquiry. In a corporate library it can be a quick online database search for a client. There are many products that are on offer when a library service is provided.

Part 5 - Library technologies
G. G. Chowdhury, Paul F. Burton, David McMenemy, Alan Poulter
Book:

Librarianship

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08 June 2018

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20 December 2007, pp 173-176
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Summary

Today's libraries are built on technology. There are services, for example book lending, which, on the face of it, appear unaffected by technology. But the process of lending books is managed by check-out systems similar to those found in retail environments. The purchasing of books is handled by dedicated systems which function like general accounting and tracking systems. Book purchasing itself can be done in toto online, just like any other e-commerce application.
This part is intended to flesh out the background to the technological developments which drive today's libraries. It considers the fundamentals of information and communications technology, and delineates trends in this area. One feature of ICT, just like anything else people create, is its diversity. However, for success in applying ICT this diversity needs to be controlled and the best way of doing that is by the specification, development or imposition of standards, common ways of doing things. Standards apply to databases, structured repositories of data. Library collections chiefly consist of documents. Two ways of managing documents are to record their existence and track them (in databases) or to digitize documents and store and manage them wholly within systems (such as document management systems). Standards underpin markup languages, such as HTML, XML and CSS, which are fundamental to managing document-centric data. These standards support both the digital storage of content and information describing that content (metadata) for retrieval, preservation, management and other purposes. Finally, standards have facilitated recent developments in networking, especially those related to the growth of the internet. Prior to the internet, library networking was limited to cross-linking services between libraries. Post internet, library networking has taken on a much more fundamental service role, as it is becoming the library service itself, as physical services become virtualized. The rise of the networked age has also seen a rise in security issues. Once the context is understood, it is then possible to cover in detail library management systems (LMS), which are customized applications of databases to support library operations.
Of course, ICT has done more than just automate book lending: it has transformed the nature of library services. This is inherent in the concept and application of the digital library, which is essentially the rejuvenation and retooling of library services in a globally networked digital environment.

21 - The importance of management in librarianship
from Part 6 - Management and marketing in libraries
G. G. Chowdhury, Paul F. Burton, David McMenemy, Alan Poulter
Book:

Librarianship

Published by:

Facet

Published online:

08 June 2018

Print publication:

20 December 2007, pp 233-238
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Summary

Introduction
While many library studies students may have previous library experience at a paraprofessional level, which can be invaluable, rarely does this open up opportunities to deal with management issues. The reality is that after graduation, they are likely to have some management responsibility when they gain their first professional post. This level of responsibility will vary greatly; the lone librarian working in a law office or perhaps a school library or media centre will very likely find him- or herself with a many responsibilities, from purchasing decisions, to policy formulation, to managing staff, health and safety, and numerous other areas. Meanwhile, assistant librarians in a large organization will find themselves perhaps with much less in the way of actual responsibilities, or have them limited to a finite area. For instance, a subject librarian in a large university may be responsible for purchasing materials for a specific topic area, but that may be the extent of his or her dealings with the library budget.
Management and libraries
Delivering the best possible service to library users is all about doing so in the most efficient way possible, i.e. managing the process properly. This is vital not only to ensure that library users receive the best service, but also for the professional accountability of the librarian. All libraries are funded by some umbrella body or other, be it the local community, a university or college, or a private company. In all cases the librarian must be accountable for decision-making, justifying each spending decision, and ensuring that he or she operates to the highest professional standards. Therefore understanding what good management is, and more importantly knowing how to actually manage, is as much a part of librarianship in the 21st century as cataloguing, reference services and book promotion.
Thinking Point
Consider a library sector you might like to enter, and:
• make a list of the types of responsibilities that you may be charged With
• consider what skills and knowledge you would need to address these responsibilities in a confident manner.

NB This is a useful exercise for any future interviews you may attend.

Finally, it is important to note how highly the professional associations that represent librarians around the world value management skills.

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