Competency H ~
Demonstrate proficiency in the use of current information and communication technologies, and other related technologies, as they affect the resources and uses of libraries and other types of information providing entities.
Statement
Our world makes new discoveries in technology every year. Whether these technological advances create new ways to communicate or new ways to perform information-seeking tasks, librarians and information professionals throughout the world hold the responsibility of recognizing how these advances are affecting the information resources and services they provide. Consider a library that has not adopted new technology to facilitate communication with patrons. The library is closing itself off from individuals who depend on certain technology in order to take advantage of library services. We must not only consider users who prefer communicating via new technologies because of convenience or ease of use, but we must also consider users who are home-bound with no alternative and must communicate using remote technology. Today's libraries have demonstrated the ability to respond to change, especially technological change. When we, as information professionals, widen our scope of communicative tools, we open our knowledge and services to more people. Technology expands our ability to communicate with and instruct users across the world. The use of new information technologies allows us to collaborate with more institutions world-wide and we create opportunities to spread awareness about the benefits of libraries of all types and sizes.
There are specific information and communication technologies that libraries use in order to facilitate information-seeking and to connect with patrons on several levels. Traditional websites, email, chat, and blogs all affect the resources and uses of libraries and other types of information entities. Libraries use websites as access points to their collections, as community bulletin boards, and as portals to other institutions and information resources. The use of email and chat creates new ways to communicate and provide reference services. Blogs allow libraries and other information entities to keep their staff informed about changes occuring within the profession, they allow individuals to share their knowledge of certain subject areas, and they also help disseminate information to a world-wide audience.
Evidence
To demonstrate proficiency in this competency I will present three pieces of evidence. The first is a blog I presently maintain. This blog was created as an assignment for LIBR 284 Seminar in Archives: Archivists Meet Web 2.0 instructed by Professor Patricia C. Franks. The creation and maintenance of this blog demonstrates my proficiency in using current information and communication technologies to spread awareness about the information institutions located within the communities that surround me. By blogging about how my local libraries and archives are utilizing new technologies within their institutions, I am bringing attention to their resources and services and how they have been updated to reflect current technological advances and user preferences. For example, in the blog I discuss how one institution uses a website to announce their new institutional logo and name, how Flickr helps to provide access to their collection of historical images, and how YouTube allows the institution to share over 50 videos documenting the recorded history of the Sacramento area.
To further demonstrate my skills and knowledge related to this competency, I will discuss two parts of a Reference Service Evaluation I completed for LIBR 210 Reference and Information Services instructed by Professor Lili Luo. I was tasked to participate as a user in three reference transactions using different media (face-to-face, email, and chat), and to write a report evaluating my experiences. In my experience with this assignment, chat reference was most the successful tool and is why I decided to include it here. The written evaluation of all three gives an overview of my experiences with each method of reference service. The successful completion of this assignment demonstrates that I understand how these three information and communication technologies are used to provide access to library resources, it demonstrates that I can use the technologies to communicate with information professionals and retrieve information, and my evaluation of the different methods of communication demonstrates my understanding of how they affect the resources and uses of libraries.
Conclusion
While addopting new technologies to communicate with patrons is a vital step for libraries to take, it is also important for information professionals to remember that our patrons still value and use face-to-face communication. For this reason, we must continue to strive for excellence in all methods of communicating with and providing service for users. In recognition of this, ALA has developed the RUSA Guidelines (Reference and User Services Association) to help stimulate and support excellence in the delivery of library services (whether using traditional methods or remote methods) to all types of users in all types of libraries. Evaluating reference and information services from the user's perspective allowed me to identify some areas of reference communication that could be improved on in one institution. For instance, I felt the face-to-face reference transaction was forced and uncomfortable with awkward moments of silence where I was not made aware of the processes taking place. Because peoople today are so familiar with new communicative technologies (including librarians), we have to make an extra effort to be present when interacting with patrons in person. Otherwise, we run the risk of alienating users to the point where they discontinue use of library services altogether.
Evidentiary Material
http://rachael-joy.blogspot.com/
Our world makes new discoveries in technology every year. Whether these technological advances create new ways to communicate or new ways to perform information-seeking tasks, librarians and information professionals throughout the world hold the responsibility of recognizing how these advances are affecting the information resources and services they provide. Consider a library that has not adopted new technology to facilitate communication with patrons. The library is closing itself off from individuals who depend on certain technology in order to take advantage of library services. We must not only consider users who prefer communicating via new technologies because of convenience or ease of use, but we must also consider users who are home-bound with no alternative and must communicate using remote technology. Today's libraries have demonstrated the ability to respond to change, especially technological change. When we, as information professionals, widen our scope of communicative tools, we open our knowledge and services to more people. Technology expands our ability to communicate with and instruct users across the world. The use of new information technologies allows us to collaborate with more institutions world-wide and we create opportunities to spread awareness about the benefits of libraries of all types and sizes.
There are specific information and communication technologies that libraries use in order to facilitate information-seeking and to connect with patrons on several levels. Traditional websites, email, chat, and blogs all affect the resources and uses of libraries and other types of information entities. Libraries use websites as access points to their collections, as community bulletin boards, and as portals to other institutions and information resources. The use of email and chat creates new ways to communicate and provide reference services. Blogs allow libraries and other information entities to keep their staff informed about changes occuring within the profession, they allow individuals to share their knowledge of certain subject areas, and they also help disseminate information to a world-wide audience.
Evidence
To demonstrate proficiency in this competency I will present three pieces of evidence. The first is a blog I presently maintain. This blog was created as an assignment for LIBR 284 Seminar in Archives: Archivists Meet Web 2.0 instructed by Professor Patricia C. Franks. The creation and maintenance of this blog demonstrates my proficiency in using current information and communication technologies to spread awareness about the information institutions located within the communities that surround me. By blogging about how my local libraries and archives are utilizing new technologies within their institutions, I am bringing attention to their resources and services and how they have been updated to reflect current technological advances and user preferences. For example, in the blog I discuss how one institution uses a website to announce their new institutional logo and name, how Flickr helps to provide access to their collection of historical images, and how YouTube allows the institution to share over 50 videos documenting the recorded history of the Sacramento area.
To further demonstrate my skills and knowledge related to this competency, I will discuss two parts of a Reference Service Evaluation I completed for LIBR 210 Reference and Information Services instructed by Professor Lili Luo. I was tasked to participate as a user in three reference transactions using different media (face-to-face, email, and chat), and to write a report evaluating my experiences. In my experience with this assignment, chat reference was most the successful tool and is why I decided to include it here. The written evaluation of all three gives an overview of my experiences with each method of reference service. The successful completion of this assignment demonstrates that I understand how these three information and communication technologies are used to provide access to library resources, it demonstrates that I can use the technologies to communicate with information professionals and retrieve information, and my evaluation of the different methods of communication demonstrates my understanding of how they affect the resources and uses of libraries.
Conclusion
While addopting new technologies to communicate with patrons is a vital step for libraries to take, it is also important for information professionals to remember that our patrons still value and use face-to-face communication. For this reason, we must continue to strive for excellence in all methods of communicating with and providing service for users. In recognition of this, ALA has developed the RUSA Guidelines (Reference and User Services Association) to help stimulate and support excellence in the delivery of library services (whether using traditional methods or remote methods) to all types of users in all types of libraries. Evaluating reference and information services from the user's perspective allowed me to identify some areas of reference communication that could be improved on in one institution. For instance, I felt the face-to-face reference transaction was forced and uncomfortable with awkward moments of silence where I was not made aware of the processes taking place. Because peoople today are so familiar with new communicative technologies (including librarians), we have to make an extra effort to be present when interacting with patrons in person. Otherwise, we run the risk of alienating users to the point where they discontinue use of library services altogether.
Evidentiary Material
http://rachael-joy.blogspot.com/
chatassessment_libr210.pdf | |
File Size: | 128 kb |
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referenceserviceevaluation_libr210.pdf | |
File Size: | 61 kb |
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