The Industrial Revolution was a period of scientific and technological development in the 18th century that transformed largely rural, agrarian societies, such as Europe and North America, into industrialized, urban countries. Goods that had once been painstakingly crafted by hand started to be produced in mass quantities by factory machines, thanks to the introduction of new machines and techniques in textiles, iron making and other industries. https://www.history.com/topics/industrial-revolution/industrial-revolution
Just a few decades
ago, when scientists, technologists and engineers explained or predicted what
the world would be like from 2010, most people were not convinced enough.
However, in today’s digital world, we are seeing rapid changes in the
advancements of technology triggered by transitioning from the 3rd to the 4th Industrial Revolution,
which began in the early 2000s (21st century)
Technological
pioneers continue to surprise us with state-of-the-art technologies in our
libraries worldwide through innovations and changes occurring gradually every
year. The following table compares the past and present functions or operations
in libraries:
|
PAST |
PRESENT |
|
Card catalogues > Circulation desks > Open shelves for print books > Board library displays > Library with walls > Manual system > Resources Print-format > A security guard at the entrance > |
OPAC (Open Public Access Catalogue) Online library webpage Databases Digital displays A library without walls (Online
libraries) Automated system E-resources 3M system & CCTV |
With the developments and technological
advances, academic libraries worldwide enjoy the benefits. We see many positive
improvements in academic libraries, namely:
v Communication - Today, libraries can
communicate with patrons, staff, and other libraries (ILL) efficiently,
regardless of where they are.
Staff can
work from home or anywhere and form meetings via cell phones, internet
resources or video conferencing.
v
Safety – Present-day technology has opened room
for more safe and secure libraries. We have surveillance cameras surrounding
our libraries. We install firewalls to block potential spam or hackers from
infiltrating our library systems, databases, etc.
v
Improves productivity
– The use of technological
processes speeds up productivity in libraries. Remember handling daily
operations manually used to be very time-consuming.
v
Resource sharing & access –
Many patrons can now access library resources wherever they are simultaneously.
v
Information storage –
Before, we used huge cabinets to store large documents in print format, but
today we use electronic databases to manage our library collection.
|
21st Century Library functions |
|
LIBRARY
CATALOGUE
INFORMATION https://www.lisedunetwork.com/tag/library-catalogue/ https://www.lisedunetwork.com/tag/information/ BIBLIOGRAPHY ICT IN LIBRARIES https://www.lisedunetwork.com/tag/bibliography/ https://www.lisedunetwork.com/tag/ict-in-library/ LIBRARY
AUTOMATION
LIBRARY RESOURCES https://www.lisedunetwork.com/tag/library-automation/
https://www.lisedunetwork.com/tag/library-resources/ RESOURCE
SHARING
LIBRARY
MATERIALS https://www.lisedunetwork.com/tag/resource-sharing/ https://www.lisedunetwork.com/tag/library-materials/ REFERENCE
SERVICE COLLECTION DEVELOPMENT https://www.lisedunetwork.com/tag/reference-service/ https://www.lisedunetwork.com/tag/collection-development/ |
Skills
required by a 21st-century librarian/ Library worker
* Adobe *
Computer Networking
* Content Management Systems *
File Management Issues
* Image Editing/Scanning *
Integrated Library Systems-Back End N/A
* Linux/Unix *
Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Word, PowerPoint
* Relational Databases *
Server Set Up/Maintenance
* Digital Editing *
Adobe Flash
* Computer Security *
Course Management Systems (Blackboard & Moodle)
* Integrated Library Systems *
Video Conferencing
Conclusion
In this “4th
Industrial Revolution era”, librarians and patrons need to continuously acquire
& upgrade new technological knowledge & skills to keep up with the
latest trends. All inventions nowadays come in digital versions or formats. As
a society, we need to understand what is known as a paradigm shift, whereby we
are moving from a paper-based to a paperless society. This shift has brought many
changes in the whole aspect of a library. For example, we now have libraries with
no walls (Online Libraries) which facilitates access wherever you are 24/7.
Kindly click on the below links for
further reading:
https://smallbusiness.chron.com/impact-technological-change-business-activity-2191.html
https://www.history.com/topics/industrial-revolution/industrial-revolution
https://www.lisedunetwork.com/ict-skills-for-lis-professionals/
https://web.colby.edu/st112a-fall18/2018/09/07/the-past-present-and-future-of-technology/
https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2015/09/fourth-industrial-revolution/
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