Paper presented by Carole Alcock, Department of Information and Communication Technology, University of Wollongong at the 2nd National Preservation Office Conference: Multimedia Preservation - Capturing the Rainbow, in Brisbane, 28-30 November 1995.
- Abstract
- Are We Ready to Capture the Rainbow? Attitudes to Electronic Delivery of Information
- Network and CD-ROM Services in Libraries
- Attitudes to Electronic Information Delivery
- Conclusion
- Publications Related to This Paper
Abstract
Multimedia resources provide both an efficient means of storing information and an attractive mechanism for delivery. They are the refinement of the text based electronic information services many have predicted. But are libraries ready for these resources? This paper looks at the attitudes of Australian information professionals to the future of electronic information storage and delivery in libraries. The results are based on part of a survey conducted in mid 1994 which included information professionals at major Academic, State and some Public libraries, forty-eight in all. Questions related to both the current level of electronic resources available in each library and the direction anticipated (within five and ten years) as regards electronic information provision. Academic and State libraries are taking up the challenge of the new media. Public libraries will undoubtedly follow. While many had reservations about the demise of the library as we know it, most agreed that the role of the librarian was likely to continue to change in line with the introduction of new information delivery media. Indeed, many are already enthusiastically accepting the challenge the new media represents.
Are We Ready to Capture the Rainbow? Attitudes to Electronic Delivery of Information
Multimedia resources provide both an efficient means of storing information and an attractive mechanism for delivery. They are the refinement of the text based electronic information services many have predicted. But are libraries ready for these resources? Are they keeping up with the changes that are occurring? This paper looks at the attitudes of Australian information professionals to the future of electronic information storage and delivery in libraries. The results are based on part of a survey conducted in mid 1994 which included information professionals at major Academic, State and some Public libraries. Responses were received from forty-eight of the fifty-four libraries approached. Information was collected relating to both the current level of electronic resources available in each library and the direction anticipated (within five and ten years) as regards electronic information provision. Only some of the results are presented here. It is clear from these results that this is an exciting and energetic period for libraries - one in which "change" is the only constant. Libraries are struggling to maintain a balance between ensuring access to traditional resources while attempting to extend their reach to incorporate all the new media, whether provided on CD-ROM or through networks. This paper first provides a brief indication of some of the services used in libraries, relevant to this discussion.[1] Following this, the bulk of the paper presents findings relating to current attitudes to electronic information delivery in Australian libraries and records what online information professionals perceive as the future for these services.
Network and CD-ROM Services in Libraries
Access to AARNet/Telstra Internet Services
Of the forty-eight libraries surveyed, forty-four had access to AARNet. The four which did not were public libraries. Doubtless this will change and network access will be extended to even the most remote public libraries. Indeed, since this survey was conducted, publicity has been given to at least two local council areas which are promoting access to the Internet via AARNet. The Victorian State Library's Vicnet is providing access for that State's public libraries. Doubtless other States will follow suit. This will greatly increase the services (including database resources) available to public libraries and to their clientele.
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Although libraries themselves had access to AARNet, not all provided access to library patrons. Only twenty-seven, in all, allowed patrons to use this facility. Even where academic libraries were concerned, ten of the thirty-three were unable to extend access to the network to include their patrons. Some academic campuses provide universal Internet/AARNet access to students and staff. Others provide limited access to some members of the campus. This survey found that there were at least ten campuses where no access was available to students, even through their libraries. This is disappointing as the network provides a real opportunity to improve access to powerful research tools that in the past most students were denied. The variety of network tools available and the extent of database access provided through the network are detailed in the following sections.
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World Wide Web Access
Libraries were asked what services they made available through the network. Focus was placed on basic tools such as gopher, the various world wide web browsers and whether they maintained some form of local electronic archive. Only six answered positively to the last (maintaining an electronic archive or ftp site) although one respondent said that they used gopher for this purpose. Gopher is a popular and relatively easy to use tool with more than sixty per cent of academic libraries and almost forty percent of other libraries making use of this service. Seventy percent of academic and forty percent of other libraries used some form of access tool (gopher or Mosaic, etc.). There are many World Wide Web browsers, Mosaic being the most popular at the time of this survey. (Netscape is now more widely available.) Respondents were asked to indicate whether they used one of the Web browsers and, in particular, if they had access to Mosaic. Seventeen libraries either had access or planned access to Mosaic. It was surprising that less than fifty percent (ninteen in all) of the libraries surveyed stated that they had access to some form of web browser. Another network research tool is WAIS. This software had received some publicity at library conferences so it was again surprising that only seven libraries indicated that they used this system. Perhaps the time involved in setting up these systems and their unpredictability may have been one reason that they were not generally made available. Their impreciseness in the way they access information may have been another. There is no guarantee with any of these services that the result will provide high quality information.
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As has been noted, not only are more libraries gaining access to the worldwide web, many are now establishing web homepages which provide access to library information resources and links to useful services. Of the libraries surveyed, twenty-seven now have web addresses. Some State Libraries are encouraging participation by the smaller city and town council libraries. Through Victoria's Vicnet [2] twenty-three Victorian public libraries now have Internet access with eleven providing public access terminals. Home pages are also being set up for these community based libraries. In New South Wales, ILANET at the State Library provides network access for a fee to a variety of information services "to over 1,000 libraries and information agencies throughout Australasia." [Note:ILANET ceased operations in 2006] [3] Some city councils, like Ipswich in Queensland, are providing Internet access independently.[4] Ipswich plans to provide an electronic library. Setting an example for the library community, the Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA) which originally provided its web page through the National Library, now has its own address.[5] Links to libraries throughout Australia and world wide are to be found through the web pages of educational organisations, general net directories and other libraries. Clearly, the adoption of this new access tool has demonstrated a high degree energy and enthusiasm on the part of the Australian library community. It is unclear, at present, whether they will displace CD-ROMs or the traditional online services, some of which are now being made available via the network.
The Success of CD-ROMs: An Intermediate Technology?
Of the forty-eight libraries surveyed, all had invested in CD-ROM technology. The larger State libraries were the most heavily committed in this area with one providing access to 101 CD-ROM titles. As the graph shows, academic libraries, too, were investing considerable funds in this area. CD-ROMs are expensive, many costing several thousands of dollars for a subscription. Networking to several machines or sites incurs an extra fee and, in some instances, the library may only have a licence to use the discs: they may not own them. Even libraries with small collections are committing a sizeable proportion of their budgets to maintain their collection. It is significant that libraries are prepared to allocate funding for this technology to an extent which was never possible with traditional online databases. A modest collection of around twenty titles may cost a library about $A60,000 annually, excluding costs of equipment. In a report on the Australian online industry published in 1992, Elizabeth Oley suggested that the easy access to information which CD-ROMs provide for all library patrons may have resulted in a decline in online searching.[6] It will be interesting to see whether access to networked database resources has a similar impact on library commitment to CD-ROM technology.
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Online Databases via the Network
Unlike the familiar network search tools mentioned elsewhere in this paper, traditional databases provided through the network, present a more structured environment for obtaining information. While tools like gopher, www browsers and WAIS aim to help users make sense of the many options for obtaining access to network resources, they are still more dependent on luck than skill. Most of the database services on the other hand have some kind of controlled subject search option, often having as their base a well established database resource that existed prior to the expanded network access we have today. They have not been put together in the same ad hoc manner that has attended the provision of much of the material available through other resources on the Internet. Libraries worldwide have been active in both their production and their provision. Hence they are a valued addition to many libraries repertoire of services to their clients. This is demonstrated clearly below, Uncover, ISI Current Contents and OCLC FirstSearch being well supported by twenty-eight or more libraries and the National Library's Ozline/SOFI, by nineteen [2004 update- Ozline services were superseded by Informit's services, SOFI was superseded by Kinetica/Libraries Australia]. Other library catalogues were also used through the network, by thirty seven of the forty-eight respondents. Many of these services provide valuable information to assist in locating and gaining access to material both within Australia and beyond. They also provide access to database information formerly only available through charged for online information services like those provided through Dialog (Knight-Ridder). Whether they continue to be provided free of charge remains to be seen. The future of charging is among the questions raised below. Many of the services still require considerable patience and adaptability to varying search protocols to use. Access to simple to use Web browsers like Mosaic and Netscape may provide an impetus for database vendors to match the ease of use provided by these systems. Web browsers are now widely available and popular, inspite of the degree of tolerence required where precision in searching is difficult, if not impossible to achieve.
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Attitudes to Electronic Information Delivery
1. Electronic Publishing
Paper based books and journals still the main source of information within five years to ten years?
While libraries are making use of electronic information sources, whether on CD-ROM or via traditional online information services or through the new networked databases, paper is clearly still the predominant medium. Online information librarians were asked if they saw this situation changing and, if so, how quickly. While most saw little change within five years many indicated that a shift within ten years was likely. This is graphically illustrated below.
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All journals available electronically within five or ten years?
Where journals and newspapers are concerned, the trend towards electronic delivery of newspapers was considered more likely than for journals. Journals have traditionally provided a means for not only communicating the latest research findings but also for providing recognition for research undertaken. Hence, they have also played an important role in providing evidence of academic worth. Promotion and tenure at most academic institutions is dependent on such evidence. Concern has been expressed that the electronic medium will not provide the same validity as the traditional refereed journals, partly because of the speed with which publication can occur and transmission take place. Experiments are underway with the electronic equivalent of some refereed journals. Continuity of publication and provision of access are two other areas of concern for librarians. Consequently, some ambivalence on the part of librarians for the electronic product might be anticipated. The graphs indicate this.
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Newspapers published electronically within five or ten years?
Where once newspapers published online were purely text based, the new World Wide Web (www) browsers, in particular Netscape and Mosaic, are providing a medium whereby newspapers can be presented in a pleasing format, often including pictures. A good example of this is the British paper, The Daily Telegraph. While such media can be slow to access and it may seem tedious to move from one part of the "paper" to another by clicking buttons and waiting for the next screen to appear, they do have appeal, being pleasing to the eye, with the ability to be tailored to one's interests, no matter how mundane or esoteric, and providing instant access to exactly the same news as is available on the newsstands, television or radio on the opposite side of the globe. This is an area which will change rapidly, and while access may be limited because of excessive band width demands, as well as access to the necessary technology, it seems inevitable that there will be considerable expansion through this medium. Whether it will fully displace the paper medium is another matter. According to this survey, librarians in Australia believe that there will be some degree of movement towards the electronic delivery of newspapers within the next ten years.
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All newspapers archived on CD-ROM within five or ten years.
The archiving of newspapers on CD-ROM is already happening and the majority saw this as continuing and expanding. The shift in opinion between five and ten years was not as marked as for full electronic delivery, however. Many consider CD-ROM to be an intermediate technology and that easy and cheap access to news media online may obviate the need for large CD-ROM archives. Nevertheless, CD-ROM, with its ability to store both text and image, does provide a compact and convenient means of storing bulky print publications. Indeed, it is doubtful that large back runs of all newspapers, particularly the more parochial, will ever be available online. Companies like Philips and Sony are continuing to develop and promote improved CD-ROM technology. As CD-ROM production technology becomes standardised and more widely available, it seems likely that its usefulness, particularly for newsprint storage, will continue to be recognised.
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2. Electronic Document Delivery
Technical literature available electronically (reports, journals, books, articles, conference papers) within five or ten years.
A problem for libraries has been the provision of up to date scientific and technical literature. Lengthy procedures involved in the publication of books and refereed journal articles can mean that this type of resource can be several years out of date by the time it reaches the library shelves. As well, the process of hard copy provision can be very costly. Reasonable profit margins for publishers may inflate the price of technical literature for which there is only a small, specialist demand. If technical literature can be provided in both a more timely and cost efficient manner through electronic delivery, it is in the interests of library clientele that this be achieved. Publishers, too, may be relieved of the obligation to publish material where profitability is uncertain. Indeed, the involvement of technical publishers in the electronic information industry (e.g. Reed Elseviers) would indicate a belief on their part that this is the direction they will be forced to take in the near future if they are to survive. Librarians involved in the delivery of electronic information (as also in other areas: eg. library acquisitions) are well aware of the changes occurring in this area. Responses indicated a widely held view that online delivery of this type of literature was imminent. Indeed, the graphs indicate a stronger response than was the case for either newspapers or journals.
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Ready reference largely electronic within five or ten years.
Anyone who has worked on a busy library reference desk will understand the desire for a tool which can provide quick responses to at least some of the numerous and varied incidental/general queries which library patrons present. Achieving patron satisfaction may be high on one's list of priorities but difficult to achieve in fact when confronted with competing and often insistent, patron demands. Leaving the reference desk to search special reference tools located elsewhere is not always convenient and can cause unwelcome delays to other patrons. It is not surprising therefore, that librarians perceive electronic media as providing some measure of assistance. Networked resources, be they locally provided CD-ROMs or globally shared databases, which are accessible at the reference desk, are a welcome addition to reference desk resources. While it is unlikely that responses to library reference queries will ever be fully achievable through electronic means, there is a strong indication that this will be largely the case.
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All document delivery services available at clients desktop / workstation within five or ten years.
It has been the expressed desire of some researchers that all their text-based information needs be met without their having to leave their offices. In the age of computer networks where many researchers do have appropriate access to the tools, this may well be achievable. One respondent to the questionnaire indicated that this was already happening at their institution. However, charges are usually attached to requests for electronic document delivery whether these be standard, photocopied articles faxed to the requestor or full-text (ASCII format) papers provided through services like DIALOG (Knight-Ridder). As well, copyright restrictions on reproduction of documents obtained through Inter-Library Loans services require a signed agreement regarding the use of the material. Until electronic signatures are secure and in general use, and charging arrangements are equally resolved, a fully electronic document delivery service cannot be achieved. Nevertheless, it can be presumed that this development will be strongly supported by at least one sector of the library profession if the responses below are an indication. Thirty-five of the forty-seven respondents stated that it was more than likely that all document delivery would be available in this manner within the next ten years. Only seven said that this was unlikely.
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Multi-media generally available at workstations in the Library (pictures, video, audio) within five or ten years.
The provision of multi-media (the combination of a variety of media: pictures, video, audio, text) in libraries is clearly accepted within both academic and public sectors. Twenty-two of forty-six respondents thought it likely that multi-media would be generally available at workstations in the library within five years. Within ten years the response was even more positive: thirty-six stressing its likelihood with only three considering it unlikely. Among the difficulties which libraries will face if multi-media is made widely available at library work stations is the obvious expense of providing not only equipment but also a suitable environment, containment of noise (using headphones or sound proof enclosures), supervision and adequate training of staff and users. Such demands on library budgets will mean either that libraries must limit this service, charge for its use, extend remote access or, most likely, perhaps, a combination of all three. However, it is clear that support for multi-media within the library environment is strong.
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3. Charging / Card Systems, etc.
Coin or card operated machines providing network access for all resources (including Bulletin Board Services, e-mail, databases, gopher, ftp and telnet ..etc. within five or ten years.
One of the first "internet cafes" was reported to have been set up in San Fransisco. The idea was to provide a drop in place for anyone wanting to use Internet facilities without the expense of purchasing equipment. Similar services have now appeared in cities elsewhere. In Sydney there is Remo's in George Street and Melbourne has the netcafe at St Kilda. Even the National Library has joined the trend, providing Netscape access on two PCs in the Brindabella Bistro. It is assumed that libraries will provide some form of access to networked information services to their patrons, either within their walls or remotely. As indicated in earlier sections of this paper, many database services are already being provided through the library. Network access to databases once only available through expensive, mediated online searches seemed to be a breakthrough in providing equitable access to all library patrons. However, there are now moves to charge end users for their use of the Internet. Only ten of the forty-five librarians who responded to this question thought it was unlikely that such a service would incur a charge. Eighteen thought it likely within five years and twenty-four, within ten. Since this questionnaire was undertaken, it seems certain that charges for network use will be passed on to the end user, whether within libraries or independently.
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All researchers conducting their own online searches via the network within five or ten years.
Many researchers are now able to do their own online searches through databases provided over the network. Only some databases are available in this way at present. Many of the more comprehensive and expensive databases are either not available through the network or are only available to those with appropriate accounts and who are able to be billed for the service. Intermediaries are still necessary for such services. Librarians were asked if they saw a trend towards more searching being done by the "end user", the person requiring the information. While the initial response was that this was unlikely within the next five years, within ten it was more probable according to twenty-seven of the forty-seven respondents. Only nine thought it was still unlikely within ten years.
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4. Libraries / Librarians / ITS Units
The library as a physical entity no longer needed within five or ten years.
There has been much discussion both in print and elsewhere regarding the need for the continuing existence of the library as a physical entity. Most librarians are familiar with the main arguments for and against such a proposition: equity of access for the less affluent on the one hand; ease of access for the technologically privileged on the other. As might be anticipated, when asked for an opinion on this proposition, librarians expressed the view that it was extremely unlikely that libraries would no longer be needed within five years (forty-four respondents) with only a slight movement in opinion on this proposition 'within ten years' (thirty-six respondents still stating that such a change was unlikely). Libraries have existed as physical sites (if with varying purposes) for more than two thousand years. It seems reasonable to assume that they will continue to do so.
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Librarian's role becomes that of information consultant advising end users within five or ten years.
While the perspective expressed as regards the survival of libraries may have seemed conservative, where the role of librarians is concerned, this was certainly not the case. The library profession was one of the earliest to be confronted with the introduction of computer technology. Computerised databases of bibliographic resources were first developed in the late 1960s and libraries have progressively automated most of their operations since then. Consequently, librarians, by the nature of their profession, have had to be open to change. New computer systems, new software packages, online information delivery, CD-ROM technology, multi-media, computer networks: the changes continue and often it has been in libraries where these technologies have first appeared or been adopted. Librarians view themselves as information professionals which is quite a different image from that portrayed by outsiders, particularly the mass media. Many would say their role is already that of information consultant to end users and their responses when questioned on their future role confirm that if they do not see themselves in this way now, that this is the direction in which they will be heading within the next five to ten years. It is a highly motivated and confident view of their role, one which projects a positive image of a profession in transition.
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Conclusion
Attitudes of Australian information professionals suggest that there will be a growing acceptance of electronic information storage and delivery in libraries and that while the change will not be instantaneous, a much broader range of materials will be available in this way. Indeed, many are already enthusiastically accepting the challenge the new media represents. Demands for speedy document delivery are unlikely to diminish. However, assuring quality of the information resouces while acceding to these demands is of paramount importance. So much material distributed with the ease the new technology allows is of a very general nature and not of the high standard in terms of content with which we are accustomed through traditional media. No real standards yet exist in modes of information retrieval. Nevertheless, Academic and State libraries are taking up the challenge of the new information media. Public libraries will undoubtedly follow. While many have reservations about the demise of the library as we know it, most agree that the role of the librarian is likely to continue to change in line with the introduction of new electronic resources. Libraries in Australia are indeed ready to "capture the rainbow" of multimedia opportunites.
Publications Related to this Paper
- ALCOCK, Carole A. Libraries on the Information Superhighway: the Australian experience. Paper accepted for : Pacific Telecommunications Conference: PTC'96. Honolulu: January 14-18, 1996.
- ALCOCK, Carole A. Libraries in Australia on the Information Superhighway: online information services in major Australian libraries. Working Paper: 1995/1. Wollongong, NSW: Dept. of Information and Communication Technology, University of Wollongong, 1995.
- Excluding traditional online services which are discussed in a report and paper listed under related publications at the end of this paper.
- "Vicnet is a joint enterprise of the Victorian State Library and RMIT to bring electronic networking to the people of Victoria." Vicnet's homepage address is: http://www.vicnet.net.au/
- See ILANET's web page at http://www.slnsw.gov.au/ILANET/. The fee listed is $A0.20 per minute with no charge by volume of data. This may change now with the changes in AARNet charging policy.
- Ipswich City Councils homepage address is: http://iccu6.ipswichcity.qld.gov.au/
- ALIA's home page address is: http://www.alia.org.au/
- Elizabeth Oley. The current situation and future prospects of the online industry in Australia. In: Online Review. 1992: v.16(6): 374.