Libraries losing out to social media: expert

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.

He said the East has always believed in open access knowledge where as knowledge has been commercially exploited by West both through an intellectual property regime as well as through pricing of scientific journals. “If science has to flourish and if development has to be inclusive and equitable, it is absolutely essential that everyone has equal access to knowledge,” he added.