Transcript libraries and technological change

LIS510 lecture 5
Thomas Krichel
2005-02-23
Historical part
• Technological progress is not new.
• Rubin starts with a useful historical
overview.
– he looks at the development of computers and
networks in libraries
– he looks at the development of the Internet,
which largely happened outside libraries.
early technical advances
• Microphotography in the early 20th century.
– It allowed to photograph sheets of paper and
allow to read them with a special device
• tremendous savings of storage cost
• hard to read
• photocopier, invented in the 1960s, was a
great advance in libraries, but brought
attacks from copyright holders.
computers in libraries
• most important application was in
bibliographic data, with the development of
the MARC record.
• OCLC became a significant organization
that allowed libraries
– to share MARC records
– print catalog cards
– interlibrary loan facilities
– acquisition support.
networks in libraries
• also appeared in the 60s. this allowed for
online information retrieval, eventually
• in 1964 Lockheed developed the DIALOG
system, offering online access to database
– this system collects databases
– it makes them away collectively or individually
through a search interface
• access to DIALOG was limited to
specialized staff.
CD-ROM
• This came along in the 1980.
• It could hold a lot of information.
• It did not need network to use, theoretically.
In practice it was hard for two users to use
the same CD-ROM without some kind of a
network.
• It certainly did not need a remote network,
that was where all the cost was.
integrated library system
• this is a local computer and network
application that integrates
– acquisition
– serials
– catalog maintenance
– catalog access
– circulation records
– collection management
• these systems took a while to mature.
linked OPACs
• As more and more OPACs became open
access from outside, there was more
demand to search many of them at once.
• A special distributed searching protocol,
Z39.50 was developed over many years.
• It is very complicated.
• There is no public domain software
implementing it.
OPAC
• an OPAC is an online public access
catalog.
• it allowed a user access to the library
catalog via a computer terminal
• no need to buy catalog cards and no need
to file them.
Internet
• Internet is not a physical network.
• It is as abstraction that allows different
physical networks to work together and
appear as one.
• Main facilities
– email
– remote use of computers
– file transfer
– World Wide Web
Internet technology
• There are two basic standards
– Internet protocol (IP) transfers packets of data
between hosts.
– Transmission control protocol (TCP) allows for
a stream of communication to appear as if
there was a connection.
• The basic theory of the Internet goes back
to Paul Baran. Al Gore did not invent it.
• All the Internet boils down to is a set of
technical standards.
email
• it is the oldest Internet application
• also one of the most complex these days
because
– old protocols
– never designed to deal with spam
• not likely that you will get much involved
with running an email system
email lists
• they are not called Listservs, as Rubin
thinks
• Email lists are very important information
sources that are not readily found on the
Web.
• Knowledge and expert usage of lists make
a librarian shine.
• Unfortunately we don’t have time or mission
to go through this here.
remote computer use & file transfer
• There are two common protocol
– telnet
– ftp
for remote login and use
for file transfer
• some older OPACs may be accessed with
telnet
• but telnet and ftp are no longer used in
private transaction because they are not
secure
• ssh (aka secure shell) is a successor to ftp
and telnet.
the Web
• The web is a medium that uses three
standards
– URI for addressing objects “on the web”
– http for transferring these objects
– HTML to build a hypertext system to build and
navigate resources.
• Since we define the web as using this,
some things may only use part of these
standards, thus be “less webby”.
Web and libraries
• Libraries have become heavily involved in
– building web site
– buying access to toll-gated web sites
– building resources that are indirectly available
on the Web
• Web OPACs
• archives with machine interfaces
• it is important to know how the web works
• take LIS650 and LIS651 ;-)
word wide web consortium
• The W3C is the standards making body of
the Web, run by its inventor Tim Berners
Lee.
• Some standards they have developed are
good
– HTML
– XML
• Many others are over-engineered.
Digital libraries
• Nobody really knows what they are.
• Much of the LIS literature discussing digital
libraries in fact addresses web sites.
• I like Bill Arms’ definition best. Digital
libraries share the fact that
– organized on computers
– available over a network
– maintain procedures to
• select
• organize
∙ make available
∙ archive
Web portal
• A portal can be understood as an interface
on the web, that allows you to use a digital
library.
• Portals can sometimes be personalized.
• Portals may be used as an intermediary for
online reference services.
Internet2
• This is not a new version of the Internet.
• It is set of technological devices that allow
higher Internet speed.
• Currently available to privileged US
institutions and some foreign partners.
technology and next generation
libraries
• Rutenbeck has five challenges
– malleability (information changes)
– selectivity (people abandon print-only)
– exclusivity (not everyone has access)
– vulnerability (print assets are more vulnerable)
see http://www.anna-amalia-bibliothek.de/
– superficiality (some rubbish is on the Internet)
libraries adapt
• libraries get wired
• they offer electronic access
– even to the home user
• shift from information access to community
center
• adopt digital reference with 24/7
asynchronous help
• get involved in digital archiving of
institutional assets.
digital library cost
• digital library material will cost more initially
because publishers want to see a return in
the extra functionality they have developed.
• in the longer run, digital library costs may
be longer than in print
– lower storage cost
– less risk to the items
– fewer staff requirements
roles for the library with digital
material
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investigation what to buy
negotiation of the purchase
acquisition of access to a service
installation of access devices
training of users
maintenance: update, migrate, replace
and in the future, maybe: archiving.
digital preservation
• this is hugely complicated area
• keeping files is not a big deal as long as
one avoids
– proprietary formats
– removable media
• but this issue of what to preserve is tough
when the contents shows lack of fixity.
impact of technology on staff
• information professionals that are
technologically savvy will thrive better than
those who are not.
• fortunately the Palmer School offers
LIS508, LIS650, soon LIS651.
• it still does not have a system
administration class, but that may come as
well.
impact of technology on staff
• constant computer use can cause serious
health problems
• Problem areas are
– bad posture problems at the desk
– eye strain
• use of mouse is particularly bad. learn how
to avoid using it.
• injuries take a long time to heal
impact on the mission
• none. libraries are still there to disseminate
quality information to the largest number of
people
http://openlib.org/home/krichel
Please shut down the computers now.
Thank you for your attention!