“Demonstrate proficiency in identifying, using, and evaluating current and emerging information and communication technologies”
Introduction
Librarians and information professionals value clear and organized systems of information, as they make items easier to find and quicker to retrieve. Staying in touch with new technologies can help create better organized information systems, and keeping up-to-date with the world of technology is far easier than trying to play catch up later. In maintaining an adequate knowledge base on current and emerging information and communication technologies (ICT), consideration should be taken in identifying, using and evaluating as well as considering how different technologies could be applied in a library and information science (LIS) work setting.
In public libraries, ICT can include new computers and regular software upgrades, laptops and tablets for patrons to check out, and new workstations and other hardware in the computer lab. In school libraries, ICT can include new computers and software upgrades for staff and students, tablets and other technologies. In special libraries and archives, ICT can include work computers and other devices. For other information professionals, keeping themselves and devices up-to-date with the latest information and communication technologies is essential to their work.
Identification of new ICT is an important aspect of what library and information science professions do. If you don’t know about the newest software, or website, how can you employ it successfully? Strategies for staying in the loop include following email groups, reading forums, blogs or magazines, and subscribing to a Facebook page, Twitter feed or an RSS feed. Staying in tune with emerging technologies can also require word of mouth communication with colleagues and peers, online browsing, and forum participation, as it’s usually a good idea to gather data on these new technologies from more than one source.
It can be a continuing struggle to remain up-to-date on current and emerging ICT. Established technologies, like computers and smart phones, continue to update their hardware specifications as well as software. Approximately each year a new model or software upgrade is released. New technologies like tablets are also arriving, and seem to prove useful to library users. Yet they have different specifications and capabilities based upon hardware and manufacturer; for example many newer tablets have cameras and Bluetooth capabilities while earlier models do not. Digital cameras also suffer from these these issues, as do scanners and printers, although to a lesser degree. It can be a challenge to relearn how your phone, computer, or ebook reader work after each software upgrade, even though often the upgrade has improved the device. Sometimes with upgrades the entire operating system will change (Android, iOS), meaning that many controls and behind-the-scenes processes work differently too. It’s also important to acknowledge that computers and other ICT devices have a finite commercial life. Windows XP, a once-standard operating system, is no longer supported by Microsoft. When evaluating cutting-edge or promising new options, consider their software and hardware requirements, as well as how much personnel retraining and system relearning will come with the upgrades.
Using current and emerging information and communication technologies can be harrowing, and jumping on the bandwagon of the newest technology isn’t always the best idea. Consider the multitude of technologies and formats that aimed at becoming the new standards in their day, yet we now consider them as innovation and commercial dead-ends. Laserdiscs leap instantly to mind, as in my childhood they were supposed to be the next big video format. More recently, HD DVD proved unspectacular. These examples alone (and there are many more) should stand as a warning that with technology, sometimes a wait and see approach is better. In a LIS work settings where the budget can be a concern, every investment the organization makes needs to be financially responsible. So with new technology and budgetary concerns, it is always a better idea to play it safe.
Thus, before implementing new and emerging technology, it’s a wise idea to wait for further development. The potential of a new ICT can be very exciting to the savvy LIS professional, but glitches and bugs are normal in new technologies, while small improvements are inevitable. Waiting for feedback from trusted sources can help save our organizations time and money. Yet the tremendous improvements in function that new ICTs provide must not be ignored, as social trends in the use of information continue to be shaped by the newest of the new gadgets. Any modern LIS professional will stay informed and aware of the possibilities in order to better organize information and assist users.
Evidence
My first piece of evidence is a discussion post from week 2 from LIBR 243. This weekly discussion tasked me with evaluating a piece of open-source software. I examined some of Apache OpenOffice’s productivity applications to see how well they worked versus their proprietary counterparts. I found that the OpenOffice Writer allowed me to save my text document in a variety of file types. It also had similar toolbar buttons and functions as most word processors. I also looked at Impress, OpenOffice’s presentation application and found a number of similarities. Overall, I judged this open-source software suite to be a good piece of new technology.
My second piece of evidence is a discussion post from week 5 from LIBR 243. This weekly discussion tasked me with finding an article on a new technology and giving a short description of the article’s content and findings. My article focused on a new quantitative measure for telecommunications networks’ topology design. This measure, called the Simplex method, is an algorithm for linear programming that was adapted to calculate the topology lifetime of several different network designs including: dual ring, chordal ring, Manhattan Street, hierarchical. This new method of measurement was created to be useful in evaluating current network design, in designing new networks, and in updating and creating new links in current networks.
My third piece of evidence is a homework discussion post titled “hw1b” from LIBR 251. This assignment tasked me to examine the SLISWeb site and note three areas of concern compared with the usability principles. I examined and evaluated the process of find professor bios from the Faculty and Staff Directory. My post focused on the following areas of concern: unfamiliar system-oriented terms; invisible objects and actions; and recall rather than recognition. I evaluated the SLISWeb site and found some issues with the design.
Conclusion
New ICTs are something that any LIS professional needs to be aware of. Computers are a typical part of a LIS work environment, from public, to school, to special libraries, and many other public and private institutions and organizations. New technologies like tablets, smart phones, and new software and apps are rapidly changing the landscape for LIS professionals. However, caution and careful analysis is recommended to avoid ill-fated investments. Keeping abreast of the plethora of new technologies can seem daunting, but there are many resources available and it is an essential part of our career.