Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Future of libraries'

Objectives: An important issue in the field of librarianship is what we will look like in the future. Prognosticators’ predictions range from doomsday to utopia. This poster seeks to identify what the perceptions of the future of libraries are from the published literature. The future of medical libraries in particular will be examined. Methods: This research will analyze the literature published in the field of library science. The literature will then be qualitatively analyzed to determine themes about the perceptions of the future of libraries and librarians. NVIVO qualitative analysis software will be utilized to analyze the data for themes and trends. Three coders will independently code the data. Results and Conclusions: A review of the literature paints a cautiously optimistic picture of the future of medical libraries and librarians. The general perception appears to be an ever increasing involvement in the community outside the walls of the medical library. With expanding collaborative technologies, medical librarians have both the challenges and opportunities to evolve to fill a great need in medical knowledge management and point-of care resources.

Objectives: An important issue in the field of librarianship is what we will look like in the future. Prognosticators’ predictions range from doomsday to utopia. This poster seeks to identify what the perceptions of the future of libraries are from the published literature. The future of medical libraries in particular will be examined. Methods: This research will analyze the literature published in the field of library science. The literature will then be qualitatively analyzed to determine themes about the perceptions of the future of libraries and librarians. NVIVO qualitative analysis software will be utilized to analyze the data for themes and trends. Three coders will independently code the data. Results and Conclusions: A review of the literature paints a cautiously optimistic picture of the future of medical libraries and librarians. The general perception appears to be an ever increasing involvement in the community outside the walls of the medical library. With expanding collaborative technologies, medical librarians have both the challenges and opportunities to evolve to fill a great need in medical knowledge management and point-of care resources.

This dissertation addresses the problem of the «Digital Library» from the point of view of the «Traditional Library». The work comprises an analytical approach to the problem, being proposed a model for the «Digital Library» according to the perspective and requirements of the «Traditional Library» in face of the new emerging technological paradigm. This model is analysed for the cases of the specialized library and the deposit library, when facing the problem of the digital publishing. As a result, it is proposed a strategy for the deposit library based on the identification of scenarios and publication genres. As a consequence of this process, there were also identified and analysed new problem, such as the new concept of agent, the relationship of the concept URN identifiers? space with the problem, and the problem of the metadata. Metadata is now a new concern for the «Digital Library», from which results new requirements and scenarios raising the problem of the interoperability.<br>O trabalho desenvolvido nesta dissertação gira em torno do termo «Biblioteca Digital» e daquilo que ele poderá significar quando considerado segundo os requisitos da «Biblioteca Tradicional». O resultado consistiu numa abordagem analítica ao problema, propondo-se um modelo para a «Biblioteca Digital» gerado segundo a perspectiva da «Biblioteca Tradicional» quando confrontada com o novo paradigma tecnológico emergente. Este modelo é analisado para os casos da biblioteca especializada e da biblioteca de depósito quando posta perante o problema do depósito de publicações digitais, propondo-se ainda uma estratégia para a mesma baseada na identificação de cenários e géneros de publicações. Como consequência são ainda identificados e analisados novos problemas, especialmente os do agente enquanto novo conceito, a relação do problema com o caso do espaço de identificadores URN, e o problema da metadata. Conclui-se ainda ser esta agora uma nova preocupação na «Biblioteca Digital», de onde resultam novos requisitos e cenários que nos conduzem ao problema da inter-operação.

The purpose of this work is to provide understanding regarding the future of library workplaces by, first, establishing the relationship between Joseph Campbell's functions of mythology in traditional cultures and workplace texts, and then showing libraries as workplaces with such texts. With this framework in place, it is possible to pick-out the fundamental cycle inherent in library workplace cosmology, highlight pedagogical cycles inherent in library texts, and generate an informed understanding of future cosmological and pedagogical trends using educated extrapolation of such cycles. These steps all serve to lay further groundwork in understanding library workplace mythology and its sociological effects, and, using the relationship between ever-moving cosmological and pedagogical cycles, it becomes possible to form an educated picture of future library sociology. In the end, library workplace mythology has no new revelations about the direction of library workplace sociology, only new ways of dispelling predictions often made about the future of libraries and their workplaces. By looking at library workplaces as sites of mythology, this work offers expectations that the same cycles inherent in past and present library workplaces will continue to overcome changes in the technological, political, and social constructs of future library workplaces.

<p> This research highlights the scenarios that might serve as a strategic vision to describe a future beyond the current library, one which both guides provosts and creates a map for the transformation of human resources and technology in the university research libraries. The scenarios offer managerial leaders an opportunity to envision new roles for librarians and staff which brings a much needed focus on the development of human resources as well as a thought-stream to understand decisions which effectively and systematically move the organization toward a strategic vision.</p><p> These scenarios outline possible future directions research libraries could take by focusing on perspectives from library directors, provosts, and administrators for human resources. The four case study scenarios introduce potential future roles for librarians and highlight the unsustainability of the current scholarly communications model as well as uncertain factors related to the political, social, technical, and demographic issues facing campuses. Given the changes institutions face, scenarios allow directors to include more uncertainty when developing and articulating a vision. These scenarios may start a discussion, before a strategic planning process, to sharpen the evaluations and measures necessary to monitor achievements that define the value of the library.</p><p> This dissertation highlights the importance of research library managerial leaders developing a strategic vision and introduces scenarios as way to communicate that vision with provosts, the senior leadership team, librarians, and staff. How the library directors approach the strategic vision scenario provides insight into the challenges and barriers identified within the existing organizational culture.</p>

The aim of the study was to investigate the development of Executive Information Systems (EIS) in twenty large British companies and to also determine what role, if any, the company library played. Also investigated was the future of the library and other corporate information systems as a provider of information services to business. A multiple-case study methodology was adopted for carrying out the research. Interviews were conducted with nearly 70 respondents; these included librarians, EIS developers and senior manager users of the EIS, and EIS vendors. All three corporate respondent groups have poor perception of Information Management policy, politics and culture. Most EIS are developed using prototyping or CSF method without reference to any frameworks or strategic business plan, and a lack of co-operation from senior managers. EIS are developed because of internal pressures. Their main use is as an operational tool and for monitoring/analysis. EIS has made managers more aware of information as corporate asset but few request improvements to the system. Most EIS are successful and percolate further down the management hierarchy, but they have not lived up to their original expectations. EIS impact on both the library and company is slight. Most librarians know about EIS, mainly by chance. Only four company libraries were involved in the development of EIS because most EIS are internal financial systems, and the library is seen as irrelevant. However, they are more likely to be involved if the library reports to a corporate strategy department, be physically near EIS teams, and personally know the EIS developers. Libraries are consulted because they are seen as extemal data experts; their main role is acting as external information consultants or as a conduit for external sources directly into the EIS. Despite many librarians being proactive many also have a pessimistic view of their future. They believe they are seen by senior management as increasingly irrelevant and targets for cost cutting, and as such few openly promote themselves within the company. However, the study also shows that librarians may have new roles to play as information becomes much more widely accessible in business through knowledge management technology such as Lotus Notes and intranets.

As more and more output from research institutions is born digital, a means for capturing and preserving the results of this investment is required. To begin to understand and address the problems surrounding this task, Hewlett-Packard Laboratories collaborated with MIT Libraries over two years to develop DSpace, an open source institutional repository software system. This paper describes DSpace in the context of the Open Archival Information System (OAIS) reference model. Particular attention is given to the preservation aspects of DSpace, and the current status of the DSpace system with respect to addressing these aspects. The reasons for various design decisions and trade-offs that were necessary to develop the system in a timely manner are given, and directions for future development are explored. While DSpace is not yet a complete solution to the problem of preserving digital research output, it is a production-capable system, represents a significant step forward, and is an excellent platform for future research and development.

The social impacts of new information technology have attracted much attention in recent years. This study looked at the personal computer's impact on the public library's services and functions. Particular attention was paid to the public access personal computer. The method involved a Baseline survey to establish the availability and use of public access personal computers in Australian public libraries and a Delphi survey to consider possible futures. The researcher's framework was drawn from reviews of the literatures on futures research; new information technology and its social impacts; the development and current situation of the public library; and innovation research. The Baseline survey revealed that public access personal computers were becoming increasingly common in public libraries, though their provision was not yet widespread. Existing and planned uses included games, literacy and various other educational activities. Overall the public access personal computer was viewed as a favourable innovation with the part it could play in developing community computer literacy receiving particular attention. The Delphi panel was comprised of 25 public librarians selected on the basis of their knowledge about computers in public libraries. The 41 Event Statements postulated a wide range of changes in - (1) the nature and method of service provision; (2) the patterns of client demand and use; and, (3) financial allocations. The results revealed greater variability of opinion about the likely time of occurrence of the Events than about their desirability. A high level of opinion change between the two Rounds did not produce much movement toward consensus - indicating that the panel had varied views of the future. Comment on both surveys indicated that the librarians were keen to develop services relevant to their communities and if public access personal computers were such a service they would strive to provide them. The Delphi survey proved a good vehicle for encouraging consideration of the future and further research using the method seems warranted.

Master of Science<br>Department of Architecture<br>David Seamon<br>This thesis uses behavioral mapping to analyze two contrasting spaces in Kansas State University’s Hale Library. One of the spaces is meant for computer use; and the other for general library use, including study-group work. The conceptual approach chosen to describe and analyze these two library spaces is the behavior-setting theory developed by psychologist Roger Barker, who defines behavior settings as independent units of space, with temporal and spatial boundaries, that have “great coercive power over the behaviors that occur within them” (Barker, 1968, p. 17). The behavioral observations for the two Hale Library spaces were analyzed and compared with findings from other studies of library usage and behaviors. In the first chapter of the thesis, I introduce my study topic and discuss recent developments in libraries. In the second chapter, I provide a broad overview of library history and library use. I also overview behavior-setting theory and present examples of research on behavior settings and libraries. In the third chapter, I discuss research methods for this thesis, starting with how library spaces can be described as behavior settings. I then discuss specific methodological procedures involved in the behavioral study of activities in the two library spaces. In the fourth chapter, I discuss the two spaces studied in Hale Library, first, describing their physical features and then discussing their behavior-setting attributes. In the fifth chapter, I present my behavioral observations and compare and contrast the two Hale Library spaces in terms of user behaviors and as behavior settings. In the sixth and final chapter of this thesis, I compare my research results with other library research and offer my speculative ideas on the future of the academic library. The overarching theme of this thesis is evaluating how recent digital technologies have affected libraries, and how traditional library spaces and spaces designated for digital technology can be integrated in future libraries.

Wie wird die Zukunft der Bibliotheken in Zeitschriften des Bibliothekswesen und der Bibliothekswissenschaft aktuell diskutiert? Diese Arbeit untersucht die Zukunftsbilder in insgesamt acht US-amerikanischen und deutschen Zeitschriften der Jahrgänge 2009 bis 2013. Dabei werden mit der Methode der qualitativen Inhaltsanalyse nach Philipp Mayring die Leitmotive in der Diskussion um die Zukunft der Bibliotheken herausgestellt und der Zukunftsdiskurs in US-amerikanischen und deutschen Zeitschriften verglichen. Die Zukunftsbilder in US-amerikanischen und deutschen Zeitschriften bewegen sich im gleichen Rahmen, unterscheiden sich aber im Detail: So finden sich zahlreiche Leitmotive sowohl in US-amerikanischen als auch in deutschen Zeitschriften, beispielsweise zur Bedeutung digitaler Angebote, zu zentralen Aufgabenfeldern der zukünftigen Bibliotheken oder zur Zukunft des bibliothekarischen Berufs; die Diskussion um die Zukunft der Bibliotheken wird jedoch in den Zeitschriftenartikeln beider Länder jeweils durch weitere Themenbereiche ergänzt. Eine Untersuchung der Quellen, auf die sich die untersuchten Zeitschriftenartikel beziehen, setzt die Ergebnisse der Inhaltsanalyse in ihren Kontext.

In an accelerating Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) environment, academic libraries’ catalogs have always been part of students’ and faculty members journey of resources discovery. The master thesis intents to focus its interest in Information Systems (IS) ground related to the implementation of a new search engine at the University of Piraeus Library. The Library wants to change the search features of its traditional online services and to implement a new discover tool with Web 2.0 characteristics. The aim of this master thesis is to investigate users’ views and desires interest according to their scholarly needs and expectations about VuFind in order to facilitate the Library to customize the integration. Therefore, critical systems theory will be employed for “therapeutic” reasons to enlighten the Library’s users about their current situation. Qualitative analysis is expected to recognize discrimination against traditional Library’s search engines. Qualitative data of the user impression and reaction when operate with the VuFind interface will lead to recommendations for enhancement and improvements. Findings will assist implementers to modify the discovery layer by meeting users’ needs of the academia community. The research will collect data through qualitative method on how participants operate with the VuFind search engine merging librarians’ professional views and users’ expectations and propositions. Participatory Design (PD) will be built upon Future Workshop method.

AN ABSTRACT OF THE DISSERTATION OF NORAH OMAR ALSANA, for the Doctor of Philosophy degree in CURRICULUM & INSTRUCTION, presented on March 2017, at Southern Illinois University Carbondale. TITLE: FEMALE SAUDI PRE-SERVICE TEACHERS’ COMPETENCY IN INFORMATION LITERACY, PERCEPTIONS OF FUTURE CLASSROOM PRACTICE, AND THE ROLE OF LIBRARIANS MAJOR PROFESSOR: Dr. John McIntyre The purpose of this concurrent triangulation mixed- method study is to identify pre-service teachers’ competency and future classroom practice regarding information literacy. Another purpose was to identify pre-service teachers’ perceptions of the librarian’s role in developing information literacy practice. The study was also designed to identify the faculty members’ perceptions of pre-service teachers’ practice of information literacy. The sample contained 117 female pre-service teachers in the Quantitative phase and 8 pre-service teachers and 4 faculty members in the qualitative phase at Al-Imam Muhammad Ibn Saud Islamic University in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The finding revealed that pre-service teachers were knowledgeable about information literacy skills. However, their knowledge competency was a mostly theoretical knowledge that they did not have time or learning experiences to practice. Also, The pre-service teachers showed limited preparation to practice information literacy not only as students but also as teachers. They also showed a positive interest to learn who to practice information literacy in their future teaching only to improve their students’ knowledge about the subject, not to teach students these skills, which is related to the second level of IL practice skill. The finding also showed that pre-service teachers were dependence on instructors to explain IL skills processes, believing these were the faculty’s role rather than the librarian’s who did not have the role more than finding resources to them. Base on the result, I recommend an integrated to the information literacy skills to practice through all the subject matters and evaluate their (pre-service teacher) practice not only as students but also as future teachers. Also, I recommend the university from administrators, faculty members, and librarians to enhance the awareness among students about the important of IL skills and work cooperatively to influence the students’ capacity to practice that not only as seekers but also as future providers to this competency.

The purpose of this qualitative study was to indicate changes in library services available to the citizens of Johnson City, Tennessee. The study covered library services available in educational and public settings for patrons from preschool to adult ages. Librarians in this study all worked in either a public library located in Johnson City, TN or worked in the Johnson City School System as a media specialist in either an elementary, middle, or high school. This qualitative study was conducted using interviews of librarians to gain their perceptions of the library and their roles within the libraries of Johnson City. Librarians were interviewed to determine their views in the past, present, and future of the library as an establishment. Documents from the various libraries were also analyzed to determine changes in library services. Various themes emerged from the data analysis. Participants discussed their roles as librarians, the library as an institution, and collection development. Other themes that emerged were discussions of library materials that were now or would become archaic. Participants also made projections as to the future of the library itself and whether or not it would become obsolete. The results of this study suggest that libraries will continue to evolve as technologies and community needs and expectations change. The appearance of the library will evolve to contain more learning spaces for active and group learning. The role of the librarian will evolve as the technology evolves. It will become more focused upon teaching patrons how to use learning tools and access information rather than simply managing and controlling the library’s assets. The librarians’ role has the potential to become one of service leadership in the community and in the school setting. The impact of the library and the librarians’ role will directly affect students, teachers, and community members. Recommendations from this study may assist in transitioning the librarian/media specialist’s role to a great service leadership model that supports individual growth and community development.

Bibvirt, Biblioteca Virtual do Estudante Brasileiro, é uma atividade em andamento da Escola do Futuro, Laboratório de Pesquisa Interdisciplinar da Universidade de São Paulo, Brasil. O presente estudo pretende determinar se esta biblioteca virtual, iniciada em 1997 e disponível gratuitamente através da Internet (www.bibvirt.futuro.usp.br), atingiu seus objetivos originais, suas necessidades e desejos. O número reduzido de bibliotecas escolares, públicas e de livrarias em todo o território brasileiro, claramente incompatível com as necessidades de uma economia baseada no conhecimento, e os limitados fundos públicos disponíveis no passado e aparentemente no futuro, para corrigir esta situação, obriga aqueles preocupados com a futura produtividade do Brasil e sua habilidade para competir globalmente, a experimentar soluções para problemas sociais baseados nas novas tecnologias de comunicação. Apoiada inicialmente pela Fundação AT&T e pela Secretaria do Estado e da Cultura de São Paulo, a Escola do Futuro lançou em 1997 um servidor baseado na web, contendo grande quantidade de textos, cópias recentemente digitadas de obras da Literatura Brasileira em domínio público, imagens da fauna e da flora brasileira, sons de animais nativos, de instrumentos musicais e de vozes de personagens políticos do passado, permitindo assim que os usuários utilizem e reutilizem ambos materiais áudio visual e de texto para suas necessidades acadêmicas ou de lazer. Em 2001, a média diária de usuários distintos excedia 5.000, e ao longo dos últimos três anos, a Bibvirt foi premiada nas categorias de Educação e Treinamento e Arte e Cultura.De 1º de setembro de 2000 a 25 de fevereiro de 2001, um questionário contendo 37 tens, pretendendo definir o perfil dos usuários e a natureza das satisfações e insatisfações dos mesmos, foi disponibilizado no site da Bibvirt, chegando a um total de 528 questionários respondidos, dos quais 479 foram utilizados para o estudo. A metodologia da pesquisa foi orientada pelo. Modelo “ACTION” desenvolvido por Anthony W. Bates (1995) e pela Abordagem “Sense-Making” desenvolvida por Brenda Derwin (1983, 1986 and 1999). 6 Os resultados do questionário revelaram alguns dados inesperados: para um site planejado para estudantes de Ensino Fundamental e Médio, os atuais usuários eram, de certa forma, mais velhos: 10 -13 anos de idade: 7 %; 14 -17 anos: 20,9 %; 18 -21 anos: 17 %; 22 -25 anos: 15,1 %; 26 -29 anos: 8,4 %; 30 -39 anos: 18,7%; 40 para cima: 11,7%. Os usuários habitantes das capitais brasileiras eram 50,8% e os habitantes do “interior” eram 49,2%. Usuários habitantes de cidades com população acima de 1 milhão de habitantes eram 43% do total, enquanto aqueles pertencentes a cidades com mais de 500 mil habitantes e menos de 1 milhão eram 14%, os de cidades com população entre 500mil e 100mil habitantes eram 22%, e os usuários em cidades com menos de 100 mil habitantes eram 14% e aqueles em cidades com menos de 10 mil habitantes eram 7%. Estudantes de Ensino Fundamental e Médio compunham 37,8% dos usuários, enquanto que estudantes universitários representavam 23,8% do total. Estudantes masculinos eram 50,7% e estudantes femininas eram 49,3%. Estudantes de escolas públicas representavam 50,7% do total e estudantes de escolas particulares representavam 49,3%. Estudantes do Estado de São Paulo constituíram 43% dos usuários, do estado de Minas Gerais 10%, do Rio de Janeiro 8% e do Paraná 7%. A renda mensal familiar reportada foi muito mais alta do que a esperada: até R$ 300,00: 8,8%; R$ 301 - 600,00: 8,8%; R$ 601-1200,00:16,7%; R$1201-3000,00:17,6%; mais de R$ 20.000,00: 10,6%. Quando questionado o local do qual os usuários acessavam à Internet, responderam: de casa: 72,1%; do trabalho 17,6%; da escola: 5,6%; da casa de amigo ou parente: 3,1%; de bibliotecas: 1,7%. 84,4% responderam que o uso da Bibvirt era por razõesde pesquisa e estudo, enquanto que 8,4% indicaram lazer e 7,2% relacionaram a trabalho. Talvez vale preocupar-se e dar futura atenção ao fato de que 57,3% responderam que seus professores solicitaram pesquisa na web, mas não deram nenhuma orientação; 25,4% disseram que professores deram um mínimo de orientação; e somente 17,3% apresentaram que seus professores os acompanharam nas pesquisas. Quando questionado se seus professores os encorajavam a utilizar a Internet para pesquisa, houve diferentes respostas de escolas públicas e privadas: “Estavam todos os professores incentivando?”: 10% dos alunos de escolas públicas confirmaram, enquanto que 8% dos alunos de escolas privadas confirmaram esta questão; “alguns professores?’: 50% dos estudantes de escolas públicas e 44% de estudantes de escola privadas confirmaram; “nenhum 7 professor”?: 40% de alunos de escolas públicas e 48% de alunos de escolas privadas confirmaram. Em relação à questão sobre se eram capazes de encontrar com facilidade o material desejado na Bibivirt: 24,4% responderam “sempre”; 44,1% responderam “quase sempre”; 15,7% responderam “às vezes”; 8,4% responderam “raramente”; e 7,4% responderam ”nunca”. Se o material encontrado em bibliotecas correspondia as suas necessidades de pesquisas: 57% responderam que acharam exatamente o que procuravam; 12,1% acharam o material “muito sofisticado” e 30,9% acharam o material “muito simples”. Se eles acharam que o material que procuravam na Bibvirt poderia ser achado também em outras fontes: 36,9% disseram ser possível; 33,8% disseram que “às vezes” isto acontecia; 13,6% disseram ser difícil e 3,5% disseram nunca ser o caso. Em ordem de importância para os usuários, o material contido na biblioteca seguia tal ordem: literatura, material didático, material para-didático, sons e imagens. Com relação à navegação na biblioteca, 90,6% disseram não ter dificuldade, 9,4% tiveram dificuldade; 48,5% disseram usar o Internet Explorer 5x, enquanto que 19,2% disseram usar o Internet Explorer 4x. Em relação a maneira pela qual eles liam o material encontrado na biblioteca, 28% liam diretamente na tela; 13,4% imprimiam o material enquanto conectados a Internet; 34,3% baixavam para posterior consulta no computador; e 23,2% carregavam para posterior impressão e leitura.<br>Bibvirt, the Brazilian Student’s Virtual Library, is an on-going activity of research and development of the “School of the Future”, interdisciplinary research laboratory of theUniversity of São Paulo, Brazil. The present study attempted (1) to determine if this digital library, started in 1997 and available gratuitously through the Internet [www.bibvirt.futuro.usp.br], had met its original objetives, and (2) to identify the profile of its current users, their needs and desires. The reduced numbers of school libraries, public libraries and bookstores throughout Brazil, clearly incompatible with the needs of a knowledge-based economy, and the limited public funds available in the past, and apparently in the future, to rectify this situation, oblige those concerned with Brazil’s future productivity and ability to compete globally, to experiment with solutions to social problems, based on the new communications technologies.Supported by initial grants from the AT&T Foundation and the São Paulo State Secretariat for Culture, the School of the Future launched in 1997 a web-based server containing large quantities of full-text, newly-digited copies of Brazilian literature in the public domain, images of Brazilian flora and fauna, sounds of Brazilian animals, musical instruments and the voices of national political figures of the past, thereby permitting users to download and re-use for their academic needs or leisure material both textual and audiovisual. In 2001, the daily average number of discrete users exceeded 5,000; and over the last three years, the Bibvirt was awarded 5 trophies “I-Best” for excellence in content in the categories of education and training, and art and culture. From 1 September 2000 to 25 February 2001, a questionnaire containing 37 items attempting to determine the profile of users and the nature of user satisfaction or insatisfaction, was placed on the site of the Bibvirt, drawing a total of 528 user responses, of which 479 were actually used for the study. The research methodology was oriented by Anthony W. Bates’s “ACTION” approach (1995); and Brenda Derwin’s “Sense-Making” approach (1983, 1986 and 1999). The results of the survey brought some surprising results: for a site planned for primary and secondary school students, the atual users were somewhat older: 10-13 years of age: 7.0%; 14-17 years: 20.9 %; 18-21 years: 17.4%; 22-15 years: 15.1%;9 26-29 years: 8,4%; 30-39 years: 18.7%; 40+ years: 11.7%. Those living in state capitols were 50.7% and those in the “interior” were 49.3%. Users living in cities withpopulations over 1 million inhabitants were 43% of the total, while those in cities of over 500 thousand were 14%, those in cities of between 500 thousand and 100 thousand were 22%, and those in towns of less than 100 thousand were 14% and those in towns with less than 10 thousand were 7%. Primary and secondary school students comprised 37.8% of users, while university students represented 23.8% of the total. Male students were 50.7% and female students 49.3%. Students from public school represented 50.7% of the total, and those from private schools represented 49.3%. Students from São Paulo State made up 43% of users, those from Minas Gerais 10%, those from Rio de Janeiro 8% and those from Paraná 7%. Monthly family income reported was much higher than expected: up to R$300: 8,8%; R$301-600: 8,8%; R$601-1200: 16.7%; R$1201-3000: 17.6%; R$3001-6000: 8.8%; R$6001-10.000: 11.2%; R$10.001-20.000: 17.6%; mais de R$20.000: 10.6%. When asked from what location they acessed the Internet, users replied: from home 72.1%; from work 17.6%; from school 5.6%; from a friend/relative’s home 3.1%; from a library 1.7%. 84.4% replied that their use of Bibvirt was for study and research, while 8.4% indicated pleasure and 7.2% relation to work. Perhaps worthy of concern and further attention is the fact that 57.3% answered that their teachers required research on the web but gave no orientation; 25.4% said teachers gave minimal orientation; 17.3% indicated that their teachers accompanied their web research. When asked whether their teachers encouraged research using the Internet, there were different responses from public and private schools: “were all teachers encouraging?”: 10% of public school students confirmed, while 8% of private school students confirmed this question; “some teachers?” : 50% of public school students and 44% of private school students confirmed; “no teachers?”: 40% of public school students and 48% of private school students confirmed. To the question of whether they were able to locate desired material within the library: 24.4% answered “always”; 44.1% answered “almost always”; 15.7% answered “sometimes”; 8.4% answered “rarely”; and 7.4% answered “never”. Whether or not the material found in the library corresponded to the needs of their searches: 57% responded that they found “exactly” that they sought; 12.1% found the material “very sophisticated”; and 30.9% found the material “rather simple”. 10 Whether they found that the material they sought in the Bibvirt could be found just as well in other sources, 36.9% said that it was possible, 33.8% said that “at times” they found this to be true, 13.6% said it was difficult, and 3.5% said it never the case. Inorder of importance to users, the material contained in the library was as follows:literature, didactic material, para-didactic material, sounds and images. With regard to navigation within the library, 84.4% reported having no difficulty, 8.4% had difficulty; 48.5% reported using Internet Explorer 5x, while 19.2% reported using Internet Explorer 4x. As regards the form in which they read the material found in the library, 28.6% read directly from the screen; 13.4% printed directly while connected to the Internet; 34.8% downloaded for posterior reading on-screen; and 23.2% downloaded for posterior printing and reading.

No<br>The convergence of IT, telecommunications, and media is changing the way information is collected, stored and accessed. This revolution is having effects on the development and organisation of information and artefact repositories such as libraries and museums. This book presents key aspects in the rapidly moving field of digital convergence in the areas of technology and information sciences. Its chapters are written by international experts who are leaders in their fields.

Poster presentation from the Living the Future 6 Conference, April 5-8, 2006, University of Arizona Libraries, Tucson, AZ.<br>The Access & Delivery team was charged with providing the UA Libraries with a report summarizing recommended long and short-term strategies in directing the library for the future. This poster illustrates the path that the Access & Delivery team took to arrive at recommendations and strategies for the UA Library’s strategic plan.

Conference proceedings from the Living the Future Conference, April 21-24, 1998, University of Arizona Libraries, Tucson, AZ.<br>Which electronic product/service has your library purchased recently? How was it selected, who (or which group/committee) was involved, who made the decision, and how long did it take? This presentation will analyze the results and/or ongoing experiences from a variety of information partnerships and joint ventures. It will explore whether there are organizational models that better facilitate the purchase or licensing of electronic products/services and consortial leadership than others. As well, we will explore the emerging role of chaos and complexity theories on team decision making and risk taking.

Running scholarly presses as profit centers is becoming increasingly unsustainable as many are barely able to stay solvent in todayâ s market economy. Under increasing financial pressures university presses are creating a bottleneck for the publishing of scholarly articles, making less of it available more slowly. By restricting access and limiting outlets for publication, todayâ s commercially structured scholarly publishing system runs counter to the aims of scholarly publishingâ to circulate discourse and research findings through academic institutions and into the world. The open access movement is one response to a general failure of the for-profit scholarly publishing system. This paper looks at what it would mean to reconfigure scholarly publishing away from commerce and toward an open access model, and the potential role of libraries within an open access publishing system.

Conference proceeding from the Living the Future 6 Conference, April 5-8, 2006, University of Arizona Libraries, Tucson, AZ.<br>Our users have a new set of expectations for libraries as Internet services such as Amazon and Google offer them simplicity and immediate reward. How must our fragmented bibliographic systems and practices evolve to remain relevant to scholars in the future? In 2005, the University Librarians of the University of California charged a task force to tackle that question, to rethink how we provide bibliographic services and recommend a roadmap for the future. The UC Bibliographic Services Task Force report <http://libraries.universityofcalifornia.edu/sopag/BSTF/Final.pdf> is a call for change and a call to action. The entire University of California library system is currently giving feedback on the recommendations and discussing next steps. In this session, two members of the task force will describe how the report took shape and how the UC Libraries will now move from vision to decision.

Internet is the buzzword for today's information community. The www is threatening to replace the traditional library system. The only way to survival of the library professionals is to adapt themselves to the new technologies and become cyber- librarian. The information superhighway has imposed a challenge to the existing information professionals to provide information exhaustively and timely. The librarians should keep themselves upto- date every moment with the new developments and to meet the diversified queries of the new generation users. This paper gives a brief idea about the impact of internet on LIS education and its utility in libraries.

Conference proceeding from the Living the Future 6 Conference, April 5-8, 2006, University of Arizona Libraries, Tucson, AZ.<br>In 1992, the Association for Research Libraries Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Literacy Project introduced libraries to GIS technology in response to the distribution of electronic geospatial data by the US Census Bureau and the availability of relative inexpensive GIS software. Since that time, there have been many technological and other changes that have affected the range of GIS services libraries provide, such as increased availability of online geospatial data, online interactive mapping, and integration of GIS into non-geography classes. What’s on the horizon? How will changes in libraries, technology, and GIS affect GIS services in libraries? The University of Arizona Library’s Arizona Electronic Atlas project, in consultation with other units on campus, is exploring how we can design a web-based “decision-support” geospatial tool that will help students and faculty analyze various scenarios or models to help make better decisions on various issues such as groundwater management, land use planning, housing development and wildfire prevention.

Conference proceeding from the Living the Future 6 Conference, April 5-8, 2006, University of Arizona Libraries, Tucson, AZ.<br>Past: Team Reorganization. Present: Evaluation and ongoing organizational assessment. Future: Flexible organization responding to the University’s needs and strategic plan. The Library is positioning itself for active participation in the University’s Strategic Plan. Several years ago, we restructured the organization to improve our services and our work. Within the last year, an internal task force surveyed and questioned the staff to see what was working well and what needed improvement within the teams, divisions, and organization. The task force then analyzed the feedback and prepared a complete report for the organization. We are now taking that feedback and working on ways to build our strengths, improve our weaknesses, and reach our targets and goals set forth in the strategic plan. A few key areas of focus include: Communication, decision-making, inter-team collaboration, and information overload.

Poster presentation from the Living the Future 8 Conference, April 23-24, 2012, University of Arizona Libraries, Tucson, AZ.<br>The College of San Mateo institutionalized information competency proficiency as a graduation requirement in Fall 2010. This session will trace the evolution of the requirement from conception to implementation, the multiple ways that the requirement can be satisfied, and its impact on students and library services.

The scenario planning method is used to explore several possible futures for digital reference services. Using two dimensions - funding sources and automation - four different scenarios are developed. Common needs across all four scenarios drive a discussion of both current and future research needs, and are used to position all components from this digital reference research agenda book in a common context.

Digital resources are becoming a common medium to address patron and library staff needs. There are a number of means and applications used to satisfy information demands. These include digital reference materials, and the reference persons that provide access to these objects, information and instruction web sites and, multi-media applications and displays. These applications provide a fairly thorough means for meeting the information demands of faculty, staff, and patrons. But there are some information needs relating to complex, implicit, or specialized knowledge that arenâ t readily addressed end-to-end by typical information publishing and knowledge management and instructional methods. This paper uses information theory principles to provide a framework for identifying some of the limitations of current information delivery methods in terms of their relevance to modern library reference and information services. In addition there is an explanation of blog technology, with suggestions for enhancing library information services. Last, some cautions for using blogs is discussed.

A survey was conducted of 969 science researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. This long survey concluded with three questions requesting usersâ perceptions of the strengths and weaknesses of the campus libraries, and what single improvement the libraries could make to support scientific research and education. While the scope of these questions was more limited than large-scale surveys such as LibQUAL+TM, the results largely confirmed information from a local implementation of that survey. In addition, an interactive visualization tool was developed to help with analysis of the resulting comments. A summary of the major findings, recommendations for library improvements, and overall conclusions is given.

Libraries have traditionally facilitated each of the following elements of research: production of new knowledge, its preservation and its organization to make it accessible for use over the generations. In modern times, the library is constantly required to meet the challenges of information explosion. Assimilating resources and restructuring practices to process the large data volumes both in the print and digital form held across the globe, therefore, becomes very important. A recourse by the libraries to application of successive forms of what can be called as Digital Library Technologies (DLT) has been the imperative. The Open Archives Initiative (OAI) is one recent development that is expected to assist the libraries to partner in setting up virtual learning environment and integrating research on a near universal scale. Future extension of this concept is envisaged to be that of Grid Computing. The technologies driving the â Gridâ would let people share computing power, databases, and other on-line tools securely across institutional and geographic boundaries without sacrificing the local autonomy. Ushering an era of the ubiquitous library helping the e-research is thus on the card. This paper reviews the emerging technological changes and charts the future role for the libraries with special reference to India.

The purpose of this work is to provide understanding regarding the future of library workplaces by, first, establishing the relationship between Joseph Campbell's functions of mythology in traditional cultures and workplace texts, and then showing libraries as workplaces with such texts. With this framework in place, it is possible to pick-out the fundamental cycle inherent in library workplace cosmology, highlight pedagogical cycles inherent in library texts, and generate an informed understanding of future cosmological and pedagogical trends using educated extrapolation of such cycles. These steps all serve to lay further groundwork in understanding library workplace mythology and its sociological effects, and, using the relationship between ever-moving cosmological and pedagogical cycles, it becomes possible to form an educated picture of future library sociology. In the end, library workplace mythology has no new revelations about the direction of library workplace sociology, only new ways of dispelling predictions often made about the future of libraries and their workplaces. By looking at library workplaces as sites of mythology, this work offers expectations that the same cycles inherent in past and present library workplaces will continue to overcome changes in the technological, political, and social constructs of future library workplaces.

Thesis (M.S.)--Central Missouri State University, 1994.<br>Typescript (photocopy). eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references (leaves [81]-84).

Wie wird die Zukunft der Bibliotheken in Zeitschriften des Bibliothekswesen und der Bibliothekswissenschaft aktuell diskutiert? Diese Arbeit untersucht die Zukunftsbilder in insgesamt acht US-amerikanischen und deutschen Zeitschriften der Jahrgänge 2009 bis 2013. Dabei werden mit der Methode der qualitativen Inhaltsanalyse nach Philipp Mayring die Leitmotive in der Diskussion um die Zukunft der Bibliotheken herausgestellt und der Zukunftsdiskurs in US-amerikanischen und deutschen Zeitschriften verglichen. Die Zukunftsbilder in US-amerikanischen und deutschen Zeitschriften bewegen sich im gleichen Rahmen, unterscheiden sich aber im Detail: So finden sich zahlreiche Leitmotive sowohl in US-amerikanischen als auch in deutschen Zeitschriften, beispielsweise zur Bedeutung digitaler Angebote, zu zentralen Aufgabenfeldern der zukünftigen Bibliotheken oder zur Zukunft des bibliothekarischen Berufs; die Diskussion um die Zukunft der Bibliotheken wird jedoch in den Zeitschriftenartikeln beider Länder jeweils durch weitere Themenbereiche ergänzt. Eine Untersuchung der Quellen, auf die sich die untersuchten Zeitschriftenartikel beziehen, setzt die Ergebnisse der Inhaltsanalyse in ihren Kontext.

We would like to design, in particular, an initial proposal stemming from a necessity previously detected in the library service by setting the context of the project to be implemented. The need identified as a result of that previous analysis is the introduction within our library service of the most recent trends, ideas and innovations that libraries in a higher range and with further resources have incorporated and which, in our view, the Town Libraries lack of at present.

It focuses the history of Public Libraries in Brazil, interpreting their development and establishing comparisons between their different stages of existence, based on documentary sources. It outlines a map of the Public Library in Brazil, backed by information obtained from the institutions they are related to, virtual media and from the libraries themselves, registered as public in the Brazilian public library systems. Those that have a valid e-mail address, were questioned via a questionnaire of 32 open questions and 31 objective questions. It presents the results of the research conducted with 271 public libraries, crossing answers to show aspects that a superficial view would not make possible to observe. It links old with current information, to understand the present and suggest possible ways to reverse the adversities encountered. It concludes that the Public Libraries in Brazil evolved unevenly and, today, are poorly distributed in the country, both on geographical and population levels; they also have insufficient human, structural, financial and material resources to meet the expected performance of their activities, leading to a still negative evaluation of their situation.

The object of this research are the preservation policies of digital public information from government. It falls in a context related to the debates on public information policies of the Brazilian government and it assumes that it is not possible to provide continued access to born digital information without association to records management and digital preservation. It does a political analysis of the implementation process of the Lei de Acesso à Informação, n°. 12.527, November 08, 2011 (LAI) in the Federal Executive Branch. It also identifies and discusses the context, the responsibilities and the established relationships between the concerned actors - Controladoria-Geral da União (CGU), Arquivo Nacional (AN) and Conselho Nacional de Arquivos (CONARQ). The exploratory research on the CGU website identified relevant information about the actions and programs planned to be developed by CGU within the archival policies. In addition correlated LAI legislation and 730 news collected on Google were analyzed to identify speeches and arguments of political actors involved in it and to know about the context in which the brazilian government information policy is developed. It concludes that the lack of mechanisms defining the responsibilities of each actor implies in the absence of a public policy that does ensures that archival policies are really part of the links that comprise the chain of contemporary information policy. It also concludes that the LAI is in compliance with archival policy, but there is not regulation of the responsibilities of each actor in the political process concerned to the deployment of LAI, bringing risks for the constitution of digital legacy for future generations.