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ALIA submission to the Senate Inquiry into the Role of Libraries in the Online Environment
(b.) The response by libraries (public, university, research) to the changing information needs of Australians, including through the provision of online resources; and
(d.) the use of libraries to deliver information and services over the internet to more effectively meet community demands for public information in the online environment.
Essentially the role of libraries relates to the information economy and the need for improved education and quality of life. Libraries throughout Australia contribute to the economic, social and cultural development of the nation by acting as a resource and facilitating access to information to support the public good.
Across the country huge investments are being made for network and computer technology in the hope of economic growth, improved education and quality of life. The global information economy dominates our economic future and well-being.
The extent to which a national economy can participate in the global marketplace depends to the degree to which its workers are skilled in the new technologies and information processes. In this society human capital becomes its most valuable resource.
The importance of learning for life and information literacy is highlighted by the impact of the internet and the information explosion is penetrating businesses, homes and schools.
Librarians ensure that we can capture our cultural heritage, learn from and build on the past. They welcome and nurture independent learners. In the critical years of pre-literacy they support parents and carers in enriching children's early learning, providing the foundation for lives of literacy and fulfillment.
As the information economy develops libraries have become key players in addressing the need for equitable access to online resources and addressing the so-called digital divide.
Libraries have become the location for internet training, a resource for electronic access, and as providers of valuable online content. They are part of the learning and research framework of schools and universities. Librarians are experts in creating and advising on managing information effectively.
Public libraries
Public libraries are the most used public local government service, the most accessible, and the most inclusive for all sectors of the population. People feel safe in libraries, and they trust library staff. Many people in the community are introduced to the internet at their local library. Library staff hold a wide range of information management skills. Librarians are therefore well placed to be a key player in the development of online services within their organisation and their community.
There is a public expectation that public libraries will provide equitable access to online information, as they do for their other services. However, with limited resources it is constant challenge to provide access, content, technical assistance and training resources to the community.
Libraries already offer many transactions online such as:
- Access to the library catalogue
- Access to database subscriptions
- online reference questions
Research libraries
The research library sector is a varied group encompassing national organisations such as CSIRO, libraries in biomedical / biotechnology research institutes, libraries in pure and applied sciences, health libraries providing service to a mixed clientele with research, clinical, educational and health management information needs. The National Library of Australia's Australian Libraries Gateway groups libraries into library types. It is possible for libraries to describe themselves in several different categories. Libraries likely to be involved in research are mostly represented in the following categories: Agriculture, 60 libraries; Health / Medical, 472 libraries; Research, 76 libraries; Science / Technology, 127 libraries.
Research libraries are and will remain hybrid print/online collections of resources. Online resources mostly date from the late 1990s but research requires access to the full body of scientific evidence accumulated over time. Research projects that ignore older resources do so with some danger.
There are additional costs being carried by research libraries with the demand for both print and online resources and a significant trend in spending moving from print to online resources. The mergers and takeovers within publishing have resulted in a concentration of titles and products in fewer publishers. To have access to titles their users need libraries are often required to purchase a package of online products that includes titles they do not need. Licences for these products generally do not include archival copies. From the US Association of Research Libraries:
After almost a decade of data collection, certain trends have become clear. The average percentage of the library budget that is spent on electronic materials was 16.25 per cent in 2000-01, nearly five times as much as in 1992-93.
Consortium purchasing has become a feature of how research libraries around the world have responded to the demand for online resources, but strong networks need to be forged to facilitate formation of consortia. Further issues are: licences and copyright; and the variable archival access to resources and the lack of clarity in responsibility for such archives.
A research project: Changing Research Practices in the Electronic Information and Communication Environment has recently been funded through Department of Education, Science and Training, to be completed by mid-2003 and is led by Colin Steele (Australian National University) and Professor John Houghton (Victoria University). The project will examine evolving research practices, asking how is the practice of research in various fields changing, and what are the implications of those changes for how researchers will do their work in the future and what sources and resources they might need? The project report will seek to inform policy for the future support of research activities in Australia.
School libraries
The role of school libraries is integral to development of life long learners. Life long learners require a broad range of information skills that need to be taught in context within sound educational programs. The teacher librarian has a primary role in the careful selection of resources and assisting students to develop information literacy. The development of information literacy skills ensures that all members of the school community can access, use and evaluate information.
The accessing of information through online resources is critical to the educational programs and should be available to students, staff and parents. Not all members of our wider community have access to online resources. In fact school libraries are the first point of access for many of our younger Australians. There are 10000 schools and over three million primary and secondary students in Australia with many and varying information needs.
School libraries are the best place to be a portal for young people. Schools provide safe environments for accessing online resources through the expertise of the teacher librarian. There is a need for a greater commitment by education authorities to the staff and resource levels in school libraries and the inclusion of school libraries in curriculum initiatives.
Information literacy
Becoming information literate is defined as being 'able to recognize when information is needed but also able to identify, locate, evaluate and use effectively information needed for a particular decision or issue at work' (American Library Associate Presidential Committee on Information Literacy: Final Report, 1989).
The ALIA policy statement on information literacy for all Australians, adopted in October 2001 states:
[See the ALIA Statement on information literacy for all Australians, adopted March 2001, amended October 2001.]
Online content regulation
Members of the Association take a responsible approach to the freedom of access to information by users of library and information services as endorsed in ALIA's Statement on online content regulation.
[See the ALIA Statement on online content regulation, adopted 1997, amended 2001.]
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