In the last 15 years, the ground - both in terms of technological advance and in the sophistication of analyses of technology - has shifted. At the same time, librarianship as a field has adopted a more skeptical perspective; libraries are feeling market pressure to adopt and use new innovations; and their librarians boast a greater awareness of the socio-cultural, economic, and ethical considerations of information and communications technologies. Within such a context, a fresh and critical analysis of the foundations and applications of technology in librarianship is long overdue.

This comprehensive primer introduces information technology topics foundational to many services offered in today’s libraries and information centers. Written by a librarian, it clearly explains concepts familiar to the I.T. professional with an eye toward practical applications in libraries for the aspiring technologist. Chapters begin with a basic introduction to a major topic then go into enough technical detail of relevant technologies to be useful to the student preparing for library technology and systems work or the professional needing to converse effectively with technology experts. Many chapters also present current issues or trends for the subject matter being discussed. The twelve chapters cover major topics such as technology support, computer hardware, networking, server administration, information security, web development, software and systems development, emerging technology, library management technologies, and technology planning. Each chapter also includes a set of pedagogical features for use with instruction including: Chapter summary List of key terms End of chapter question set Suggested activities Bibliography for further reading List of web resources Those who will find this book useful include library & information science students, librarians new to systems or information technology responsibilities, and library managers desiring a primer on information technology.

Papers presented at AGLIS Annual National Convention, held at Jaipur, April 9-11, 1993.

First published in 1986, Information Technology & Libraries explores some of the issues, problems, and opportunities presented to librarians with the development of information technology. Charting the development of information technology in libraries in a historical context, the book examines the possible changes in the way society will operate and the effects on the higher education system as a background to library service. It discusses the external networks bringing in data from institution to use and the local networks which will distribute and add to the data. These will change the way libraries operate and the mechanisms employed by members of the institution to gather and analyse information. The volume, therefore, looks forward to the future of the library and the attendant effects on users, structures, management, and staff. It highlights the key issues for the library manager, and the requirements for library staff education, training, and skills. This book will be of interest to students and researchers of library & information science, library skills and education.

Emerging Technologies for Librarians: A Practical Approach to Innovation focuses on the practical applications of emerging technologies in libraries, defining the technologies in the context of their use in real situations. Each chapter includes an overview of the use of emerging technologies in a particular work area that is followed by a list of relevant applications. Chapters cover work areas such as advertising, distance learning, metadata. and digital libraries, and also focus on applications, including mobile computing and web conferencing, followed by a conclusion. This book serves as a guide for those interested in learning about, and implementing, the available technologies that enhance library services, and also lists and discusses the types of emerging technologies that are available for a specific area of work. - Discusses and reviews practical applications of emerging technologies for librarians - Explores what emerging technologies are available in particular areas of library services - Describes and evaluates applications - Connects library work to innovations

Science and technology have occupied almost all spheres of human life and living. The wonderful achievements of science and technology have glorified the modern world and transformed the civilization into a scientific and technological civilization. Considering the importance of science and technology, they have been incorporated in every stage of education. The present book deals with the teachers' role, possessing the vast knowledge of socialization, social class influences, the teaching ethics, new technologies, research perspective, use of internet, television, management and professional accreditation in information technology, etc. The book has in its contents much to help and guide the students to choose any one of the professional alternatives to decide the direction of their careers. This book, thus, provides many educational ideas for both teachers and students, and is a must for all educational institutions and interested persons as well.

Since the 1950s there has been a persistent shortage of sci-tech librarians, and as more librarians retire or change positions, the prospect looms that the profession will only depopulate further. Tackling this difficult challenge, Recruiting, Training, and Retention of Science and Technology Librarians gathers together into one source the perspectives of top library administrators and managers as well as front-line librarians who present the latest research and practical strategies to find, train, and keep those valuable specialized professionals. This book explores in depth timely issues and presents creative perspectives and innovative solutions to this persistent problem in subject-specialized libraries. As the baby-boom generation of science and technology librarians begins to retire, training and keeping sci-tech librarians will become even more crucial. Recruiting, Training, and Retention of Science and Technology Librarians discusses the “replacement gap” problem in libraries, including who should be recruited, how they should be trained, and how to retain them once hired. Several authors address the field’s long-standing specialist vs. generalist debate, bringing new data and experience-driven perspectives to this challenging issue. Topics in Recruiting, Training, and Retention of Science and Technology Librarians include: updating the cultural image of librarians to make the profession more appealing a comprehensive literature review how to cultivate candidates who are dedicated to service and love research and learning practical approaches to improve the visibility and attractiveness of science librarianship the skills and support needed to become a successful science librarian an innovative program to recruit undergraduates an in-depth survey of practicing science and technology librarians the challenges of science librarianship in Africa library and information science educators as recruiters for sci-tech librarians creative strategies to recruit and retain librarians adapting aspects of first-year student retention programs as a model for library retention programs how professional competencies can be used for recruitment, training, and retention and more Recruiting, Training, and Retention of Science and Technology Librarians is a timely, important resource for college and university administrators, and public, special, academic, and government librarians.

Published simultaneously as Science and Technology Libraries; v.17, no.2, 1998. Seven contributions discuss the changing nature of scientific and technical librarianship (a personal perspective over 40 years), the Internet and science and technology reference instruction, and education for librarianship in engineering, chemistry, the health sciences, and geoscience. Annotation copyrighted by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

This book investigates the emerging practices of science and technology librarians specific to maintaining collections, providing access to resources, and ensuring that informed decisions are made regarding limited financial resources. Issues discussed include librarians becoming embedded in curriculum design and delivery, the continuum of librarian involvement, science literacy and the intersection with lifelong learning, integration of information literacy into science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) curriculum, development of course-related instruction programs. In addition, chapters include the differentiation between locating and accessing content and the economics of access, data driven collection and retention decisions, social networking and the scientific community, the trend to merge IT with libraries, institutional repositories, and managing productivity. Each chapter considers the change that is occurring in and around the profession and together these chapters present a notable set of reflections on the changes that are necessary for science and technology librarians to thrive in the shifting information landscape. This book is recommended for scholars and professional librarians. This book was published as a special issue of the Journal of Library Administration.

What will future sci-tech libraries be like? Who will be the key players? In this insightful volume, first published in 1992, leaders in sci-tech librarianship reflect on their years in the profession and predict how the sci-tech library will look in ten years. It takes a close look at the revolution in the communication of scientific information and how technology has transformed the process of knowledge delivery and acquisitions. It prepares libraries to react to new channels of scholarly communication that in the future may challenge the viability of the research library. Most importantly, it emphasizes how the rapid pace of change in science, communication, and computers has pushed libraries to aggressively seek to become central to the knowledge formation and transfer process - just to survive. These provocative chapters reveal how sci-tech librarians need to work with scientists and engineers to understand their changing information needs and to participate in the planning and development of new information systems. This book examines all areas of the scientific process that will be affected by change: the way research is conducted, communicated, transferred, stored, and delivered. The changes discussed in this book encompass researchers, librarians, information managers, publishers, and users. Some of the important topics discussed include an in-depth analysis of the information needs of science and engineering and how to best develop the electronic means to meet them; leadership challenges in the future electronic, computer, or virtual library; concern over the quality of information services for scientists delivered by non-scientist librarians; a ten-year prediction for sci-tech librarians and sci-tech publishers; the science library building of the future; the impact of increasingly interdisciplinary scientific research; and the effect of federal policy on sci-tech libraries.