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April 3, 2007

Print and Electronic Resources

The issues surrounding print and electronic resources will be around for some time to come. One meeting, article or discussion will not answer all our questions or even provide a satisfactory solution. Each conversation, communication or interaction is a small step in a long journey.

The Reference Section provided such a step on Tuesday, March 27, 2007 at the Mount Olive Public Library in a program about print and electronic resources. Over forty people were in attendance, which speaks to the importance of this issue. The speakers were Angela Camack of Sussex County College, Eduardo Gil, Periodicals Librarian, Harry A. Sprague Library, Montclair State University, David Lisa, Director, West Long Branch Public Library and Karen Parry, Head of Reference, East Brunswick Public Library. Below is a brief summary of the proceedings.

The cost, availability and stability of resources are three very important considerations. We all have budgets to adhere to and how we spend our money is crucial to supplying our patrons with the appropriate materials. Consideration must be given to how our patrons are accessing information. Increasingly it is online and remotely. Providing electronic formats, whether in the form of databases, e-books or e-audiobooks, is going to become fundamental to what we do because patrons are going to expect this type of service. More and more materials are becoming available in electronic format, some exclusively so. In many cases the electronic format costs less than the print version, or because of remote access, is available to a larger audience, thus lowering the overall cost to the institution. A major concern to librarians everywhere is the stability of access to the information, especially the archives. When we purchase print resources we have them until we remove them from our collections. This isn’t always the case with electronic resources. Concerns arise over the issue of whether we pay only for the right to access the information or whether we have future access to the information we paid for.

Future generations are going to be involved electronically in ways that we can’t even imagine today. Another issue facing us is how we present our services. Reference service is taking on a new face and will continue to change over our careers. What do we do with our collections and how do we reinvent our services? More and more librarians are getting out from behind the desk and walking the floor. Wireless laptops allow librarians to go to the patrons. Remote access allows patrons to get information no matter where they are or what time it is.

Three trends that we should watch for are online delivery, remote access and virtual reference services such as Q&A NJ. As more resources are available online, the demand for them will increase and patrons will expect more efficient delivery of services. Remote access will give patrons the ability to use the library 24/7. Virtual reference, a combination of personal reference service with the convenience of electronic delivery, is a very valuable and growing service.

There are many questions to ask when considering how to deal with print and electronic resources:

-What is the cost
-What are the needs of my library and its patrons
-Are databases the best resource for current information
-Should there be a cooperative effort to retain information archives
-How should staff and the public be trained to find and use electronic resources
-How would an increase in electronic resources impact the use of computers in the library
-Is library use affected by remote access and what does that mean to us
-How can we prepare for changes in software and hardware
-How do we effectively market electronic resources
-Will electronic resources alter the way patrons use the print fiction and nonfiction collections

At the ALA Annual Conference in June, the preliminary program lists the following program: “Reference Books Bulletin: Is Print Reference Dead? - A panel will discuss whether the print reference collection is a thing of the past or whether it still has a place in the increasingly electronic world of reference.” Another step in our journey.

It is clear from the March 27 meeting that there are many differing opinions. And there won’t be a one-size-fits-all solution. Each library, branch and department will have to reassess its’ needs and decide what is most important to its patrons. The most difficult part of this equation will be the need for us to change. As technology changes we must adapt our services to stay relevant. Libraries will always be an important part of society, but it doesn’t come with a free pass.

Please watch the listservs in the coming months for more programs on print and electronic resources.

-- Paul Schroeder

Posted by reference at April 3, 2007 9:09 AM

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