THE APPLICATION OF MODERN TECHNOLOGIES IN MODERN LIBRARIES

HABDULHAKEEM ADEYINKA OSHILALUAG. MANAGER,

INFORMATION RESOURCE CENTRE,

OLUSEGUN OBASANJO PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY, ABEOKUTA, NIGERIA

BY

PAPER PRESENTED AT THE 2014 MID-YEAR AGM / CONFERENCE ORGANIZED BY NIGERIAN

LIBRARY ASSOCIATION, OGUN STATE CHAPTER ON TUESDAY, JUNE 17, 2014 AT THE SIMEON

ADEBO LIBRARY, ABEOKUTA, NIGERIA

THE LIBRARY AS ITS MEANT TO BE…

• GENERALLY…THE LIBRARY IS MEANT TO BE A LINK BETWEEN

THE TWO WORLDS

• THE LIBRARY PLAYS A KEY ROLE IN DELIVERING LEARNING RESOURCES TO

STUDENTS AND STAFF OF ANY ACADEMIC COMMUNITY (LAWAL, 2007)

THE WORLD OF

KNOWLEDGE

That can be available either in print or any other

format

THE WORLD OF

KNOWLEDGE SEEKERS / USERS

Public / private individuals or group

THE LIBRARY

THE LIBRARY AS A GROWING ORGANISM

• GOING BY THE 5TH LAW OF LIBRARY SCIENCE, THE LIBRARY IS NOT STATIC… THEREFORE, WITH OR

WITHOUT THE WISH OF THE PROFESSIONALS (LIBRARIANS), THE LIBRARY JUST HAVE TO GROW

KEY NOTES

THIS PROCESS LED TO THE ADVENT OF SO MANY PROCESSES WHICH INCLUDES;

• VIRTUAL LIBRARY SYSTEM

• DIGITAL LIBRARY SYSTEM

• OPAC AND PAC

• COPY-CATALOGUING,

HOST OF MANY OTHER CONCEPTS IN THE INFORMATION PROFESSION

TRADITIONAL

LIBRARY SYSTEMLittle / no effect of technology

MODERN LIBRARY

SYSTEM

Highly influenced by technological

innovations

Gradual Process

LIBRARY AND MAN AS GROWTH AGENTS

• THE LIBRARY DEVELOPS MAN FOR MAN TO DEVELOP THE LIBRARY

KEY NOTES

MAN ACQUIRES ADDITIONAL SKILLS REQUIRED TO DEVELOP THE SERVICES RENDERED BY THE

LIBRARY FOR GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENTAL PROCESS TO TAKE PLACE AT THE TWO IN-

SEPARABLE ENTITIES;

• MAN NEED THE LIBRARY TO ACQUIRE KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS TO DEVELOP HIMSELF AND HIS COMMUNITY

• LIBRARY NEED MAN TO DEVELOP HIS OPERATIONS FOR EFFECTIVENESS OF IT SERVICES AND OPERATIONS

INASMUCH AS THE LIBRARY NEEDS MAN, MAN NEEDS THE LIBRARY

GrowthMAN

(Innovations)

LIBRARY

(Knowledge, Information

and Data)Growth

MAN & TECHNOLOGY

TECHNOLOGY HAS INTRODUCED CONSIDERABLE CHANGES IN ALMOST

ALL WALKS OF LIFE. YET THE JOURNEY OF INNOVATIONS AND

DEVELOPMENTS IS NOT OVER

…man and technology happens to be running after each other in a circular form

Technology keeps

developing man

Man keeps

developing

Technology

WHAT TECHNOLOGY STANDS FOR?DEFINITION: THE USE OF SCIENTIFIC KNOWLEDGE TO SOLVE PRACTICAL PROBLEMS,

ESPECIALLY IN INDUSTRY AND COMMERCE

…AS THE ENTITIES (BOTH MATERIAL AND IMMATERIAL) CREATED BY THE APPLICATION OF

MENTAL AND PHYSICAL EFFORT IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE SOME VALUE

…IN GENERAL, TECHNOLOGY SIMPLIFIES LIFE AND ITS AIMED AT SOLVING PROBLEM(S).

TO SOME:

- IT IS A SET OF COMPLICATED ELECTRONIC DEVICES.

- IT IS A SCIENCE APPLIED TO PRACTICAL PURPOSES.

- IT IS THE SOURCE OF THE RADICAL CHANGES THAT ARE HAPPENING IN ALL

PHASES OF LIFE.

OBSERVATIONS:

SOME INDIVIDUALS;

- ADOPT TECHNOLOGY FREELY WITHOUT FEAR NOR PANIC

- ADOPT TECHNOLOGY WITH SO MUCH FEAR AND CARE

- AVOIDS TECHNOLOGICAL ADOPTION AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.

BENEFITS OF TECHNOLOGY ADOPTION• MAKES CONVERSATION MORE COST EFFECTIVE, QUICKER AND MORE

HIGHLY EFFECTIVE

• INCREASE WORK EFFICIENCY BY INDIVIDUALS AND ORGANIZATIONS

AT LARGE

• ENHANCES ROUND THE CLOCK OPERATION SINCE SERVICES CAN BE A

CLICK AWAY FROM PROSPECTIVE USERS / CLIENTELE

• EASIER AND FASTER MEANS OF COMMUNICATION

• EASY ACCESS TO INFORMATION

• FACILITATES INNOVATION AND CREATIVITY

• REDUCTION OF STAFF DUTIES

• REDUCTION OF STAFF INJURIES (EGLOFF, 2014)

MODERN TECHNOLOGY & MODERN LIBRARY

MODERN TECHNOLOGY HAS BECOME SO ENTRENCHED IN THE IDEA OF A

MODERN LIBRARY THAT THE TWO ARE NEARLY INSEPARABLE. LIBRARIES TRY TO

GET BETTER UTILITIES, FASTER COMPUTERS, AS WELL AS INTERNET AND RELIABLE

NETWORK PROVIDERS BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT MAKES A MODERN SOCIETY.

MODERN TECHNOLOGY MUST BE IMPLEMENTED IN ORDER TO ACCOMPLISH THE

FEATS REQUIRED OF A MODERN SOCIETY.

What we call modern technology is technically not new.

Modern Technology is simply an advancement of Old Technologies

For example, mobile phone technology has evolved with years, nowadays we use

smart phones which have been an advancement of an ordinary mobile phone.

The success of modern libraries lies very much in the ability and capability of

technology adoption (Ajibero, 2008)

TECHNOLOGY ADVANCEMENT IN MODERN LIBRARY

TECHNICAL SECTION

ACQUISITION……………………………………….E-ORDER / PRICE CHECK

CATALOGUING AND CLASSIFICATION ..............COPY CATALOGUING

CATALOGUE CABINET………………………………OPAC / PAC

READERS’ SERVICE UNIT

CIRCULATION ……………………………………… ELECTRONIC RESERVATION

CIRCULATION ……………………………………… USERS’ RECORD MANAGEMENT

CIRCULATION ……………………………………… SHELF READING / MANAGEMENT

……MANY OTHERS AT THE CIRCULATION POINT

GENERAL LIBRARY SECURITY ………………….. CCTV, CHIPS

TOUR / ORIENTATION OF USERS ………………. VIRTUAL TOUR

ELECTRONIC LIBRARY…….WHICH HAS GRADUALLY ESTABLISHED ITSELF AS THE THIRD

DIVISION OF THE MODERN LIBRARY COMPARED TO THE TRADITIONAL 2 UNITS LIBRARIES.

SUMMARY

What we call modern technology is technically not so new…its simply an advancement in existing technologies.

Librarians are thereby urged to source

for technology

appreciate technology

encourage technology

adopt the use of technology

in virtually all the operations of the

library

To remain relevant to information

needy of present age.

LIBRARIANS THAT FAIL TO ADOPT THE USE OF TECHNOLOGY WILL ONLY HAVE

THEMSELVES TO BLAME.

THANKS FOR LISTENING

REFERENCES

• AJIBERO, MATTHEW IDOWU (2008) THE EDUCATION OF LIBRARY AND

INFORMATION PROFESSIONALS IN NIGERIA. 2ND JIRE OLANLOKUN

MEMORIAL LECTURE IN LIBRARY AND INFORMATION SCIENCE

• EGLOFF, SALLY (2014) AN EMERGING TECHNOLOGY: RADIO FREQUENCY

IDENTIFICATION: ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF USING RFID

TECHNOLOGY IN LIBRARIES

• LAWAL, OLU OLAT (2007) CENTRALIZATION OF LIBRARY SERVICE IN ACADEMIC

COMMUNITIES: A PARADIGM OF BEST PRACTICES. 1ST JIRE OLANLOKUN

MEMORIAL LECTURE IN LIBRARY AND INFORMATION SCIENCE

• OSHILALU, H. ADEYINKA EMERGENCE OF ELECTRONIC RESOURCES: A THREAT TO

LIBRARIANS? INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF LIBRARY AND INFORMATION

SCIENCE. VOL. 3(2), PP. 29-33, FEBRUARY 2011