This is something I have strong views on. All this new technology is potentially fantastic & will extend the reach of our library service & the number of patrons we can help. However, library reality has to first catch up to library fantasy. The majority of our library users are still looking for print materials for leisure reading and interests. I think there is a lot of potential for us to expand our online databases to allow remote access to reference materials & allow us to spend less money on hard copies. We're already doing this & it's been successful. But, the reservation queues for popular fiction & non-fiction, tell me that there are still many more patrons out there wanting to curl up with a book & a pot of tea. Academic & school libraries can utilise a lot of this technology for their users because study is their primary goal. Public libraries are different. So, while we need to start using our website & catalogue to make access to our resources as easy as possible with attractive layout; advanced searching covering all our print & online resources in one search; the ability for our staff & patrons to add their own content eg reviews; access to a wide range of online resources, I would hate to see the rush towards technology blind us to the fact that there are a lot of people out there looking for a good novel, or a cookbook. There are some experiences that a computer screen just can't replicate.
1 comment:
Hi Brontegirl,
Curling up with a book and a pot of tea sounds potentially lethal.... or mildly dangerous!!! Technology for technology's sake is not the way to go - we must always remember that our raison d'etre is our members..... what do they want?
Keep up the good work,
cheers, Paul.
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