Critical Review 3: Discussing about public libraries in the future

Source of the article

Ministerial Advisory Council on Public Libraries (2012) Tomorrow's Library: Discussion Paper. State Government of Victoria. Retrieved from Public Libraries Victoria Network website: http://www.plvn.net.au/sites/default/files/TLTD002_Tomorrow's Library Discussion Paper final web.pdf

Introduction

As information technology advances from web 1.0 to 2.0, library role evolves, Victorian public libraries’ functions and services are evaluated by Australian government (Ministerial Advisory Council on Public Libraries), providing strategic guidelines for future development. Several aspects are targeted for evaluation: collection, resources and programs, library buildings, technology and service delivery. Different stakeholders are consulted about social, economic, cultural and local factors affecting library service developments. Goals include promoting information literacy, securing freedom of information among community, and enhancing community connection and participation though library usage.

Important issues

Collections, resources and programs

Internet usage results in a decline in borrow figure of hard-copy collection. Consequently, less people visit libraries as the majority of people visit library because of book-borrowing. The decreasing trend of book-borrowers, combined with budget concern, result in rarely used, obsolete books remaining on shelf. Other challenges include large variety of format of library materials desired by community, particularly electronic resources and databases; lack of standards adopted by libraries in collection development; dependence of librarians relying on book companies’ recommendations to buy collections instead of producing wish-list of collections by libraries or users; increasing community expectation of free library programs’ varieties; consideration of extension of library service for remote areas; security concerns for RFID tracking user’s usage of materials. Various assistances should be provided to solve the above challenges.

Library buildings

Community’s desires for library construction have been changed as Web 2.0 has become a trend. More flexible and adaptable structure is preferred. Flexible buildings serve for different purposes, some even unrelated to Web 2.0 development, like emergency shelters. Community service unit like medical and childcare service are included in libraries for users’ convenience. As maximizing budget and revenue are factors of concern, buildings fit of purpose and complying with standards are new trends. Demands of library users like green buildings are also incorporated.

Technology

In past decades, technology has evolved quickly from Web 1.0 to 2.0 with the help of blogs (Greenland, 2013, p.219). Library internet area is provided, particularly for less privileged library users. As electronic and other types of resources are thriving, libraries join to form a co-operated network, which increase transportation costs. In the future, challenges will be related to development of Web 3.0, which new technology should be provided in libraries for users to utilize: Although libraries provide desktop computers, recent trend is assessing collections and information through tablet or mobile phone. Broadband network speed and stability is critical for efficiency. Furthermore, apps design is challenging that affects users' impressions about libraries.

Service delivery

Staffs and users are aging, resulting in lower chance to adapt for rapidly changing digital environment, and susceptible for retirement in near future. The positive side is younger, competent staffs can fill vacancies and the re-structuring of library staff can provide flexibility for library to allocate resources (Burke, 2013, p.212). Aging groups of users often need new service like word magnifier and voice reading machines to assist their usage of materials. Due to immigrants and diversity of population, models of services vary from one library to another, posing difficulties in balancing equality and cost-recovery when providing service. Resources are to be allocated for locating and assisting remote citizens and counseling non-users about library service.

Shortcomings

Although numerical figures assist discussions, not much is mentioned about respondents’ verbal response. It is unknown whether interviews and focus groups are carried out. As users’ feelings are factor for the decision whether they use library services, comments should be included. Also, assessment focus on Victoria State only, and the situation of libraries in other states or countries may be different from the article mentioned. For instance, personal notebooks and i-pads are not very common in developing states, raising questions whether digital devices should also be lent to library users - controversial as security concerns may also be considered. When considering cost-returning and efficiency, it poses dilemma that library users have different opinions about charging library services and whether advanced services that are not popular should be provided.

Conclusion

Libraries should notice trends in technology development and users’ needs, utilizing Web 2.0 like blogs (NCTE/IRA, 2008) and Facebook (Burke, 2013, p.133) and provide appropriate digital environment. Shortcoming should be amended so that library services remain relevant (University of Brighton, 2008): library digital environments vary for different places, so local conditions should be taken into considerations. Australia's phenomenon should be noticed and should not taken be granted for other places. Assess of the situation should be done continuously and more stakeholders should be invited to express their opinions in words, recordings and other formats.