Chennai:
Libraries are losing out to Internet as the new generation
of researchers are switching over to social network technologies to gather,
create and share information, according to an expert.
Addressing the National Conference on reaching Out to Users
through Technology (ROUTE 2013) – Enhancing Innovative Library Services in Open
Environment, Dr R R Hirwani, director of Council of Scientific and Industrial
Research (CSIR) Unit for Research and Development of Information Products said
that the need of the hour is that libraries will need to plan for and build
services that fit the work habits of new researcher with an emphasis on the
flexibility and remixing of content and services.
He said that CSIR experience of interviewing M Sc pass
students show only two per cent student start their search from library with
their first choice being search engines on web.
Hirwani said as a result there is a change taking place.
“Previously, the user built their workflow around the library. Now the library
must build its service around the user workflow,” he added.
He said earlier resources were scarce and attention was
abundant but now attention is scarce and resources are abundant.
Hirwani said that there is a need to discontinue investment
and giving continued importance physical space within research libraries.
“The library is no longer the entry gate to research. We
need to connect multiple discovery environments to library fulfillment options
besides put library resources in users work flow,” he added.
“Today’s generation wants Café Coffee day User experience.
Let us give them a library experience which matches the experience of the web,”
Hirwani added.
Earlier delivering the presidential address, director of
CSIR-Structural Engineering Research Centre, Chennai Nagesh R Iyer said that
libraries can no longer remain as mere institutions in this technological era
but have a more active role to play as an efficient information provider.
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