Sorry for any duplication.
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The Web as an Agent of Transformative Change to Library Services
Nothing is more transformative to
the society at large and to the library in particular, than the Web.
Library websites have been around for about 15 years. To many users this
is their first and primary contact with the library, where they access library
materials and interact with the knowledge of librarians. Today's library
website is very different from the traditional library website, which primarily
informs users of services in the physical library. Today's library
website delivers library services and collection digitally, over the Web.
It builds community on the Web using tools such as Twitter and Facebook, just
like we build community in the physical space. David Lee King coins the
concept of a “digital branch,” a library delivered digitally over the Web,
which has "real staff, a real building, a real collection, and a real
community." A physical library needs management and
upkeep. Likewise, a web library needs management and maintenance, which
includes, but is not limited to web content life cycle management
(strategizing, creating, reviewing, updating, deleting, archiving, etc.), web
statistics, Google ranking, investigation and implementation of new Web
technologies. Whether we call it a digital
branch or a Web library is not significant. What is important is that the
website is our new busiest service point. We will need to commit staff to
explore, develop, manage, and maintain this new space. The Web is
a fast-growing medium, with new “apps” and new methods emerging
constantly. We should always explore and evaluate new technologies such
as Web 2.0 tools, but managing a Web library is much more than experimenting
with emerging technologies. On the other hand, digital services/Web services is different from
digitization. Digital library and digitization emphasize on digital
preservation of materials, while digital/Web services is library public
services and collection delivered digitally, over the Web. They require
different staffing and different sets of skills. The latter requires
participation of not only Web staff but also most if not all public services
librarians. It also requires the establishment of a Web strategy
that is in alignment with the library and the institution’s mission.
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