DISCUSSION GROUP 1:
Resourcing the role of the new librarian renamed to
'The Role of the Librarian in the New Electronic Age'
(as participants felt the original title was inappropriate)
During, and since, the MCB Workshop during IFLA'98, the issue of the
changing role of the library and information professional has received much
press. It has been suggested that one of the areas where traditional
skills can be adapted to the electronic world is in librarians assuming the
role of educator of library users in the effective use of resources which
now come in many different media and formats.
How do librarians see publishers and vendors helping them to do this,
specifically?
1. Resourcing the role of the Librarian
- What is considered to be 'added value'? What do Librarians and researchers want in the future?
- Will publishers and the Internet eliminate libraries, Librarians or both?
- What is new role of the Librarian? Coach, mentor, knowledge manager?
- How can publishers/vendors help Librarians in their new role?
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(a) What constitutes added value? - What do librarians and researchers want in their product design and delivery in the future?
Accessibility
- Multimedia Access
- A consideration for different learning styles
- A searchable subject gateway across publishers.
Putting the information into context
This was considered by all participants to be a definite way in which publishers can add value. There were a number of suggestions: - i.e. recipes of how to get further information on a particular subject an introduction into the subject. One librarian mentioned the way in which Harvard publish 'books' which are really just articles with a common theme - i.e. a pulling together of articles that are most prolific as a front for a subject area. Pathfinders or enhanced pathfinders were also considered to provide added value.
The librarian as teacher and facilitator
It is suggested that this should be part of the curriculum - a researcher should be in a position to evaluate organisational information in order that they can apply this learning in their jobs. Librarians require training for this - and training the trainer is not taught in library schools.
Librarians give away services and are not aware of their value - how do they check that researchers are applying what they have learned from their librarian. What is the current value? In order to added value, one should know what one currently offers is worth.
(b) Will the Publisher Eliminate Libraries?
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No, Librarians have moved to new roles. This is seen as an opportunity and not a threat. Marketing is important. Can you get library users to pay for information?
(c) How can publishers help librarians to 'sell' their services to their library users?
- Don't compete with us
- Information on the licences/purchasing - best prices/practice
- One platform/browser to access - standard
- Want to work in partnership with publishers
- User workshops/commercial advertising within their organisation/library i.e. posters etc.
- Librarians play a big part in getting the product 'out there' in the marketplace
- Presentations at professional meetings
- Working in collaboration
- Web of science is part of the SOLINET consortia
- CAL state - sent out a message 'we don't want a 'package' of journals' - they want to select individual titles - 7 vendors responded to this request. All librarians want the increase of customisation - level of product should be based on need.
(d) Is there a role for Publishers? - How can publishers facilitate discussion/interaction?
- How can they work together to make products more used - don't limit to one agency? Use agents i.e. FAXON for customer service.
(e) Periodical Vendors ranked 'top' and their reason for being so ranked was:
- Because of quality interaction between the sales rep and the Librarian. There is an article published in HBR that one Librarian suggested we should read entitled 'the human moment'.
- Personal shoppers
- Publishers working with agents
- Parallel universe - everyone existing in harmony
An appreciation of the organisation of the web - and what it means to both publishers and Librarians
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