Each graduate of the Master of Library and Information Science program is able to demonstrate proficiency in identifying, using, and evaluating current and emerging information and communication technologies.
New technologies are changing the future mission of libraries because there is a great focus on meeting the needs of a user. For example, a survey found that 80% of public libraries found that Internet-based services were critical for students (Rubin, 2010 p.189). Rubin (2010) explains that because users use search engines and other technologies at home users are creating higher expectations for libraries and librarians. This leads to pressure from libraries to provide services that extend past what is available at home. With technology upgrading at faster rates, it is now up to the library to teach users how to sort through this material. This results in a demand for highly trained librarians that keep up with the latest technical innovations (Rubins, 2010). Librarians will need to be constantly trained in understanding how to manage information in new developing information spaces.
One of the biggest challenges they face is promoting their institutions and its materials. It becomes crucial for information professionals to identify and find ways to engage with users and deconstruct some of the misconceptions about an information organization. One of the biggest ways information professionals promote their materials is through social networking sites such as Facebook, YouTube, Flickr, and Twitter. Other ways they promote materials is through websites, blogs, RSS feeds and Wikis. All these web 2.0 technologies allow information professionals to interact with users and users with institutions. They also allow users the ability to create content. For example, users can create tags on items that an institution holds or leave comments. This not only benefits the user but also the institution because it allows for users to use language that they are familiar with. This creates a collaborative space and relationship between users and information professionals. Both will participate in an interactive collaborative relationship that allows for both parties to depend on each other for content.
Information professionals will not only concern themselves with just handling and retrieving material but using interactive technologies to reach and provide services for users. Information professional’s practices will revolve around finding ways to engage with users while experimenting with new and different technologies. For example, users might want more digital content, so information professionals might steer their collections towards electronic or digitalized information and materials online. Information professionals could provide educational resources, such as screencasting, podcasts or interactive applications. With the popularity of mobile apps, the creation of apps to supplement services and resources are vital tools for users and information professionals to utilize. Traditional ways of promoting materials should still be used because they provide an organized standard for users to search and discover material. Using web tools should serve as aids to supplement the traditional methods used, therefore it is important for information professionals to identify, use and evaluate current and emerging technologies.
Course Competency:
Becoming an information professional requires exposure to information technologies, and as a result, all my courses have introduced me to current and emerging technologies in the field. A few courses have also allowed me the opportunity to learn how to use and interact with different types of technologies. In Libr 202, we explored user behaviors with information retrieval systems and looked at how this is affecting the types of services and outreach being developed at institutions. This is important because there is a demand for the incorporation of web 2.0 technologies, and as a result information professionals are exploring and using them. This course introduced me to the importance of incorporating technologies with current services and interacting with patrons in different ways. This course also allowed me to think critically when evaluating information retrieval systems and other web technologies. In Libr 246, Learning to Use Drupal and Understanding Content Management Systems (CMS), we learned to build and maintain a website using the Drupal 7 content management system. This course allowed me to learn how to use a content management system and to describe its features and benefits. I also was able to learn how to use its tools and resources to make my website more interactive. Finding tools that help institutions become interactive is an important way to reach users and Drupal is a powerful system to learn and implement. In Libr 284, Encoded Archival Description, we learned how to encode finding aids for online viewing and sharing. It is important to incorporate standards like EAD so that resources that are online are encoded under best practices and standards to facilitate sharing and viewing. EAD is an important standard to learn and use because many institutions worldwide have adopted it. These courses helped develop my knowledge about current and emerging technologies and allowed me to learn to use them so that I am prepared and willing to explore more as they are developed.
Evidence 1: Libr 202, Web 2.0 and Library Services Essay
In Libr 202, I wrote an essay exploring web 2.0 and it’s influence on library services. In this paper, I looked at the development of Web 2.0 and discuss some of the prominent technologies and tools that have come out. I looked at several tools, such as blogs, social networking, wiki’s, instant messaging, tagging and podcasting. I discussed and evaluated how information professionals are using these tools in their services and outreach. For example, many libraries have blogs and social media accounts that help reach users about library resources and services. Some information organizations have created fun hashtags to help bring awareness about important events, issues, and resources. For example, Ilovelibraries.org encourages users to use fun hashtags that they repost on their social media accounts, such as #LibraryMade during this year’s 2015 National Library Week. This is important for information professionals because users want to use interactive tools and using these tools is one way of reaching users. I also discussed emerging trends using these web-based technologies and discussed innovative ways that information professionals are implementing these tools into their catalogs, collections and reference services. This essay involved looking at web technologies from information professional and information services perspective and demonstrates that I can identify, use and evaluate current and emerging technologies.
Evidence 2: Libr 246, Drupal Website
For Libr 246, I created a website using Drupal as my content management system and included interactive features and modules that enhance a user’s experience with my website. My Drupal website gives users the opportunity to interact with my content and website. For example, my website gives users the ability to comment on some of my pages when they are logged in. My website also contains a web forum where users can submit content, such as links, photos or comments for me to look at and respond too. On some pages, I display files within my pages so that users can scroll through embed files easily without them having to download the file to read. This allows users to interact within my page, save them time and allow them to open this files in Google Docs. Such features are important to users, and the more we create websites that are interactive the more we reach our users. Drupal is a powerful open source system that is used by many organizations, and is a continuously updated platform; therefore it is an important tool to learn how to use. My Drupal website demonstrates how I can identify and utilize current technological tools to create an interactive website. In the future, I have the tools and knowledge to develop my website further using Drupal. Since Drupal is free, I have the ability to create low-cost websites for my employers when resources are limited.
Evidence 3: Libr 284, Encoded Archival Description (EAD) Finding Aid
In my Libr 284, Encoded Archival Description, course I learned about the fundamentals of EAD as an XML standard for encoding finding aids. We also learned to use the EAD DTD, to cross-reference that our EAD code was errorless. This is an important part of the coding process because our code needs to be error free to federate correctly. This also ensures that information professionals are using standardized code across all finding aids. Using this knowledge I interpreted non-coded finding aids to reflect EAD tags. In my finding aid, I demonstrate how to apply tags in the appropriate sections of the finding aid using the EAD Tag Library as a resource. I also looked at the Online Archive of California best practices to make sure my finding aid was compliant. This is important because if I wanted to submit my finding aid for inclusion, it needs to meet their standards. Understanding EAD is important because it is a set of metadata standards in a machine-readable format that allows for standardized sharing among institutions. Sharing across multiple systems and standards can be problematic if the metadata is different. EAD and the Online Archive of California Best Practices are examples of standards that information professionals use to ensure that sharing is possible among many institutions. Encoding finding aids in EAD demonstrates my ability to use communication technologies to share resources across multiple systems. In the future, this assignment gives me the practical experience that allows me to read and write EAD code to produce shareable finding aids.
Conclusion:
With the advancement of technology providing different tools in the spread and access of information, librarians need to have the ability to adapt to the problems and issues that arise. Librarians will need to be constantly trained in understanding how to manage information in new developing information spaces. The web 2.0 of today could be quite different from the web of the future. It is also interesting to see how more of technology is incorporated in information organizations. From using their own encoding standards, such as EAD, to digitizing materials in collections, I have discovered that technology will play an important role to current and future information professionals in the field. With the abundance of social networking sites and apps available where people share many parts of their lives through photos and comments in real time, I would definitely love to see how information professionals tackle the challenges of preserving records from online and mobile environments.
Resources:
Rubin, R. E. (2010). Foundations of library and information science. New York: Neal- Schuman.
Assignments
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