International and Comparative Librarianship

DEDICATED TO PIONEERS   INCLUDING:
S. R. Ranganathan, P. N. Kaula, R. N. Sharma, J. F. Harvey, D. J. Foskett, J. P. Danton, M. M. Jackson, etc.
This Blogosphere has a slant towards India [a.k.a Indica, Indo, South-Asian, Oriental, Bharat, Hindustan, Asian-Indian (not American Indian)].

Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Myths About Librarians and Library: Are Libraries & Librarians Totally Obsolete?

Fiction:
  • Google, googling, googlish and googlization saves: Google replaces the information industry, not just librarians and libraries, not just archives and archivists, not just content and content managers, not just information and information managers who are out-side-the-box
  • Libraries are just books: Books and much more is at Amazon and Barnes @ 24 X 7 -- no strike, no holidays and no nightmares
  • Digital libraries are the Internet @ Free to download for all
  • Everything is available on the Internet
  • The Internet is free--No fines, no late fees, no membership charges, no fine print
  • This is the Age of Internet: Brick and Mortar Libraries are over
  • Wiki is the knowledge base, edit, modify, delete, copy, share and click send
Facts:

  • Libraries are for use: not just show pieces, nor a touch-me-not type archive or museum. : Libraries are the only place to find Living Experience of the past, exposure to the present and a lead to the future.
  • Every book its reader: Libraries and Librarians in educational institutions (school, college, university) directly help in improving Student Test Scores, inculcate thinking outside-the-box, and promote research for the public good.
  • Every reader his/her book: Library collections are based on collection development's annual plan and works-well in measuring or finding a Return on Investment (ROI)
  • Save the time of the reader. Medium is not the message: Mobile devices are not the end of books or libraries. Libraries bring together medium, message, messenger and the messagees.
  • Library is a growing organism: Number of users in any Library is not declining; it's Just more virtual (much more than the physical attendance within the library building). Physical Libraries are continuously adapting to all types of changes, including multiculturalism, multifaith, multilingual, multiracial, multi-location, multidimensional, multimedia and multipurpose.
  • Google is good (only, if you love their business). WHEREAS, Libraries are the best (no impulsive shopping here, you can pick a book that you want and that you love)
  • Libraries are not based on algorithms! Rather, libraries have thinking, feeling and compassionate brains. 
  • The Internet is a mess and much more (they have named it as deep web, surface web, hidden web, black or dark web, etc.). WHEREAS, Libraries are organized, categorized according to your taste-bud
  • Live-Wire: Libraries compliment and supplement in society's need for education, inspiration, motivation, entertainment and much more information just-in-time and just-in-case for tragic, comic and what have you scenarios
  • Economics: Reducing or closing libraries would directly cut short all types of cultural, social and material development
  • Knowledge is power: Information in WIKI is not a substitute. As they say: The wisdom of crowds is untrustworthy. Because WIKI has only the tip of the iceberg, we are not even sure if it is even the tip
  • Added Value: Librarians are the irreplaceable counterparts to the Internet / Intranet and any other type of Net
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