Technological and economic challenges in academic libraries during the 1990s

¶ … Academic Libraries

The evolution and rapid use of technology in 1990s influenced the infrastructure and functioning of academic libraries to a great extent. The libraries went under great transition as they had to digitize themselves in order to satisfy the consumers. This digitization led towards some economic problems as well. The libraries needed funds to undergo digitization. Apart from that, they also had to lay off their existing workforce and employ highly skilled and competitive workforce, in order to efficiently manage the dispersal of information in a networked environment. The major challenges faced by the academic libraries in this era were the technological challenges and the economic challenges. (Maponya, 2004)Both of these categories have been discussed in detail in the following section;

Technological Challenges Faced by Academic Libraries

The knowledge-based economy of 1990s laid an ever increasing emphasis on the influential role that is being played by information and technology. This fact, coupled with the advancements in technology, affected each and every organization in a prominent manner. Therefore, in order to cope up with these advancements, every organization had to make significant changes in its ways of conducting business. Academic libraries had also been affected by the technological advancements in the same way. These organizations had to rethink their strategies and restructure their activities in order to face the technological challenges. (Borgman, 2000)

The major technological challenges that were being faced by the academic libraries are listed below;

Invisible Infrastructure

Due to the evolution of the networked world, people stopped going to the physical campuses of libraries as they wanted all the information online. The expanding physical, therefore, infrastructure of libraries was not productive because people wanted everything online whenever they needed it. The libraries, therefore, had to maintain an efficient invisible infrastructure. The libraries had to maintain a good design. A good design can be defined as a design that provides people with whatever they need at anytime according to their convenience. In addition to that, the libraries had to spend a considerable amount of time in selecting, organizing and collecting resources that were to be made available online. After the selection, the libraries had to reach an agreement with the publishers which took several months and in some cases years as well. Apart from that, the online availability had to be strictly in alignment with the technical frameworks and policies of the libraries. As a good design is less visible than a bad one, most of the libraries failed to maintain an efficient invisible infrastructure. In addition to that, the libraries had to maintain a physical infrastructure as well; therefore, developing an invisible infrastructure required additional skills and time and hence posed a great challenge to the academic libraries. (Borgman, 2000)

Preservation and Access

Although, it might be easy to preserve the physical collections, if they are handled properly. It is, however, very difficult and complex to preserve digital library collections. The libraries had to preserve their digital collections in order to make them accessible over a long period of time. Preservation of digital content requires constant and continuous up gradation of the software that was supporting a particular content. In order to survive, the libraries had to provide the users with a continuous access to all of their collections. If the library had the copyright of the data content then it was responsible for providing the users with the continuous access to the content. However, in case of the lease of the data collection, the library was not liable to provide continuous access to the users. The authors of the contents were also not legally allowed to provide continuous access and to preserve the data content. The publishers, on the other hand, did not take the responsibility of long-term preservation of the data content. Therefore, in such circumstances preservation of data content proved out to be a great challenge for academic libraries. (Borgman, 2000)

Administration and Cooperation

As the Academic libraries started developing invisible structures, they were confronted with a challenge of properly integrating the four basic components of such infrastructure. These components included the hardware, the software, the human resource and the data and information. The new infrastructure of organizations in a knowledge-based economy, witnessed a merger of libraries with computer centers. These mergers occurred, primarily, to provide the users with an elevated quality of products and services. In addition to that, the Academic libraries also had to frame proper strategies and policies, to ensure that the present human resource skills are in alignment with the expectations and requirements of the library operations and activities. (Foo, Chaudry, Majid & Logan, 2002)

Organizational Structure

Academic libraries, at that time, had a vertical organizational structure that consisted of rigid hierarchies. With the advancements in technology and rapid digitization, the libraries faced a challenge of restructuring their organization. As the time demanded an efficient organizational structure, the libraries had to opt for flatter structures. This is because in flatter structures, the information can be dispersed more efficiently as compared to stringent hierarchies. The libraries had to reshape their structure in order to provide better facilities to the users. They had to plan their activities in alignment with the organizational goals. The libraries also had to become more client centered. In addition to that, they had to reshape themselves in a way that can provide sufficient amount of support for the delivery, performance and management of the front line operations of the libraries. The academic libraries also had to go for decentralization and empowerment of employees as these factors are essential for efficient information sharing. (Maponya, 2004)

Economic Challenges Faced by Academic Libraries

The major economic challenges faced by the libraries are listed below;

Cost Associated With Digitalization

As the libraries had to go digital, they had to incur a number of costs and these expenses negatively impacted the financial viability of the academic libraries. The libraries had to spent large amount of funds on the development of proper invisible infrastructures. In addition to that, as the libraries had to preserve their collections, they had to constantly invest in various software. This investment again required funds. The libraries, therefore, were confronted with the challenge of maintaining their cost effectiveness and utilizing their financial resources efficiently. (Borgman, 2000)

Staff and Training

As the libraries started employing advanced technologies they had to lay off their current workforce and employ highly skilled labor. The recruitment process required appropriate amount of time and money. In addition to that, the libraries also had to launch various training programs in order to ensure that their employees possess the appropriate skills that are being required by the operations and activities of the organization. (Foo, Chaudry, Majid & Logan, 2002)

Changing Demands of Users

Due to a significant change in the academic environment, an ever increasing emphasis was laid down on group work and self-study. The students, therefore, started looking for online information in the academic libraries. The libraries faced a challenge of increased consumer demand and had to work on customer services and proper and timely availability of information. The libraries needed to provide the consumers with user friendly services. They also had to analyze the changes in consumer demands and had to provide the services that best fit the requirements of changing academic world. (Maponya, 2004)

Conclusion

The academic libraries are an important component and information infrastructure of the economy. These institutions have an exciting future ahead. Although, they would constantly be required to reshape and restructure themselves according to the characteristics of the ever changing economy, but, if maintained properly, these organizations will be provided with numerous opportunities in the future to further flourish and prosper. (Foo, Chaudry, Majid & Logan, 2002)