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Showing posts from April, 2011

The changing face of academic libraries: Why less space does not have to mean less impact

The changing face of academic libraries: Why less space does not have to mean less impact Dr. Robert Schwarzwalder Whether we, and our profession, prosper or decline in the coming years will depend upon our ability to adapt to the changing nature of information access. The heart of our profession involves getting needed information to people in a time frame consistent with their needs. As information has gone digital, we have been able to provide access to books, journals and data at any time of day and to any corner of the world. The problem of the past was providing access to a scarce commodity, information. Our clients now have access to more information than they can process, through more channels and more interfaces than can be managed. In this environment of immediate access, the model of the paper library appeals to an ever-shrinking population. In the face of this monumental change, libraries have been slow to evolve. While most academic library collection budgets are shif...

COMMUNICATION OF INFORMATION; COMMUNICATION SYSTEM

COMMUNICATION OF INFORMATION; COMMUNICATION SYSTEM by Osarome Ogbebor COMMUNICATION DEFINITION Communication is defined as a process by which we assign and convey meaning in an attempt to create shared understanding. It is a process that allows organisms to exchange information by several methods. Communication is the articulation of sending a message, whether it is verbal or nonverbal, so long as a being transmits a thought provoking idea, gesture, action, etc. Communication is defined as a process by which we assign and convey meaning in an attempt to create shared understanding. Communication happens at many levels (even for one single action), in many different ways, and for most beings, as well as certain machines. Several, if not all, fields of study dedicate a portion of attention to communication Communication can be seen as processes of information transmission governed by three levels of semiotic rules: 1. Syntactic (formal properties of signs and symbols), 2. Pragma...

Revolutionizing the Library

Revolutionizing the Library: Library of the future: Wi-Fi, flat screens, automated book sorting The shiny, LED-lit future of libraries opened Monday in Bolingbrook, promising to be a technology blueprint for others as iPads, Kindles and Nooks replace dusty old paperbacks. Crowds of curious and eager patrons visited the three-story, $39.5 million building featuring flat-screen TVs, computer terminals, self-checkout stations, an automated book sorter and a cafe. The Fountaindale Public Library, with its state-of-the-art, Wi-Fi equipped space, is starkly different from the previous antiquated library, a nearby one-story brick structure built in 1975 that awaits the wrecking ball. Officials are hopeful the new facility attracts a demographic libraries haven't seen in a number of years — young professionals. http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/southsouthwest/ct-met-library-of-the-future-0308-20110307,0,5528757.story

Continuing Professional Development (CPD): Whose Responsibility?

Whose Responsibility is continuing Professional Development – Mine, Theirs, or Ours? by Julia Leong Engaging in continuing professional development (CPD) is an essential priority for library and information science (LIS) professionals (IFLA 2010). CPD encompasses induction to your job, ongoing skills development relevant to work tasks, formal study and training courses, and a myriad of developmental opportunities such as discussions with colleagues and updates on organizational policies and procedures. In addition, it means such things as developing organizational savvy, understanding new technologies, building innovative capacity, strengthening or changing attitudes regarding shouldering responsibility and taking accountability, preparing for new challenges or new directions, and, in some contexts, developing research, writing and presentation skills. The IFLA (2010) website information for the Continuing Professional Development and Workplace Learning Section states the need f...