PUBLIC LIBRARIES AS COMMUNITY INFORMATION CENTRES

Kanchan Kamila

Dr Subal Chandra Biswas

This paper discusses the role of public libraries as community information centres. Enumerates the constraints to library development, viz., environmental constraints, adminstrative constraints and manpower constraints, which need to be removed for ensuring free flow of information to the community. Also focuses on the components that are to be incorporated in the user education programme for making the community information services successful. Finally, prescribes a set of recommendations about the future role of public libraries as a provider of community information.

1. INTRODUCTION

There have been suggestions that libraries will wither and die because the information technologies will bypass libraries and will deliver information directly to the user. The technology makes this possible but human beings are not likely to immediately sink the good ship ‘library’.

UNESCO Public Library Manifesto, 1994 [9], proclaims “Unesco’s belief in the public library as a living force for education, culture and information and as an essential agent for the fostering of peace and spiritual welfare through the minds of men and women…

The public library is the local centre of information making all kinds of knowledge and information readily available to its users.

The services of the public library are provided on the basis of equality of access for all, regardless of age, sex, religion, nationality, language or social status. Specific services and materials must be provided for those users who cannot, for whatever reason, use the regular services and materials, for example, linguistic minorities, people with disabilities or people in hospital or prison.”

It would seem that the place of library as a storehouse of the historical record is secure. Provided that the library recognises that such records come in many formats and collects them all, information seekers will still come to the library to use the material. It would seem to be reasonable too that people will still use libraries to seek material for ‘diversion’ in the widest sense.

Assistant Librarian, Kulti College, Kulti, Burdwan-713343. Professor & Head, Dept. of Lib. & Inf. Sc., Burdwan University, Burdwan-713104.

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The group who are most likely to reduce their use of libraries are the professional and skilled classes who require factual information to assist them in their work and especially if that work can be either in the home, or in the office, or in the factory.

The library system grew because the individual could not afford to buy and store all the books he might need. With a change from print to electronic media the question again arises who will hold a key to such information and the answer again should be libraries … amongst others [10].

But, public libraries as community information centres – is it true? Professional literature in LIS is inundated with writings on this topic [5]. Most of these argue that it is the general public who is in need of community information. Public libraries are established to serve the general public. It follows, therefore, that public libraries are the natural agency to provide community information services [4].

On the other hand, to many ‘information resources centres are developed to meet the information needs of specific communities’ are simply a cliché and not a reality. This is because little or no assessment of community information need is either conducted at the time of setting up a library or community information resources centre (hereafter simply referred to as resource centre) or updated on a regular basis once a service is functional.

Usually library and information workers decide (instinctively) what information resources people ‘need’ rather than empirically assess the needs from people themselves. It is also common for libraries and resource centres to supply resources and information based upon the needs of current users and to ignore those of potential users. This type of information provision has limits. It is logical that a resource centre, which only uses instincts, and current users’ needs as the basis upon which to provide information can serve a limited section of its community only.

As communities change so do the information needs of people. Therefore, a resource centre cannot continue to attract its current and new or potential users without tailoring information and resource to meet the ‘new needs’ of the community. “One of the most difficult [but necessary] activities in the provision of community information is the assessment of information needs… This must be done regularly, if established resource centres [and those to be developed] are to continue to be relevant in any given community” [3].

There are several reasons why few library and information workers and their respective resource centres conduct information need assessment. Some of the more obvious include, on the one hand, the fact that certain librarians are simply too lazy to conduct such assessments and, on the other, a genuine lack of staff, financial resources and time. Related to the above, and perhaps more critical, is

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the lack of knowledge of information needs assessment techniques and difficulties encountered in developing simple but reliable methodologies for collecting data on community information needs.

2. CONSTRAINTS OF LIBRARY DEVELOPMENT

But, assessment of users’ information needs by the library and information centre staff is by no means an end by itself. Fulfillment of the users’s information needs is the ultimate objective of a library. Thus, society should gear its efforts to build an effective and efficient library and information system, which is not again free of hurdles. Experts have identified a number of constraints affecting library development plan, which can be grouped under the following heads [8]:

2.1 Environmental constraints

The lack of tradition of considering information as a resource for use; hence, low priority is given to developing library and information facilities.

Training in searching for and using information is not yet included in educational programmes.

The tendency of the community to expect to obtain information free of charge.

Senior administrators and decesion makers have their own channels for obtaining information and therefore tend to forget that other groups are still information poor.

Poor rapport between users of information and librarians as information providers.

The tendency of the scientific and technical community to look only for information from advanced countries, and to undervalue nationally generated information.

There is little understanding that the library and information system is much interrelated with country’s publishing system.

2.2 Administrative constraints

Library services are being developed very much apart from research and development (R&D) activities, with the result that many decisions in the R&D sectors are not supported by the necessary information provision.

The tendency of research institutes to build their own libraries which causes much duplication of collection building but at the same time shows the poor representation of the world output of scientific and technical information in the country.

Low priority is given to collection building and improved access. The very low annual budget that libraries receive for management,

acquisitions, marketing and other communication activities.

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Cumbersome procedures for the importation of foreign books, journal, non-book materials, exchange materials and so on.

Formal national policies and plans are still missing in order to secure co-ordination in the implementation of national services.

2.3 Manpower constraints

The shortage of senior library personnel to voice needs for management and services.

Education and training facilities are falling behind the fast development of information technologies and the information industry.

The unattractive career development prospects of librarians in government agencies.

The shortage of manpower (fund also) to do research aimed at improving weakness in the country’s library and information systems.

Language barriers impede education and training programmes.

One aspect of the constraints which needs special emphasis is the shortage of skilled recruits entering the library and information field. Adam and Rose [1] have recognised the importance of national agencies in conducting training in information systems, for technical staff as well as planners. Library practitioners and the academic community should discuss the above issues in order to prepare the development of a cadre of professionals able to cope with the demands of the new information age. Training programmes are not just a matter of designing packages of tehcnical knowhow; it is more important to train managers to look for new strategies to serve the cultural and educational needs of people.

3. USER EDUCATION PROGRAMME

However, success of any system is very much dependent on the quality and ability of its users. Users should be capable of appropriating the benefits borne out of the system. The library and information systems and their users are no exception to this. Quality of users and their library and information use habits are primarily governed by the state of social, economic and technological developments of the particular society to which these users belong to. But, many believe, the library and information workers too have some role to play in this connection. One such role is library and information workers as conductors of user education programme. If assessment of users’ information needs and their fulfillment are the primary responsibilities of the library and information worker, to educate and to train the users of a library in a manner to help them to reap the benefits of the gamut of services provided is a work of nonetheless responsibility. The library manager should chalk out an adequate user education programme for this purpose.

User education programme can be designed with the following objectives in mind:

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a) to assist the users to know and understand the services provided by the library and how to make the most of them;

b) to assist the users to know how to use the various resources of the library;c) to assist the users to learn and to interpret what they have learnt to an

acceptable standard; andd) to instill into the students the basic skills of lifelong education.

Though user education programme designed for a public library system should cover the members of the community as a whole, we intend to centre our focus on the education of the student user community. This is because, they are the future citizens of any nation who will take active part in shaping its destiny. And, a better-informed citizen is the most sought after asset for effecting the sustainable development of a nation. User education programme is not only very helpful to increase the student users’ awareness of the available resources, but also to improve their skills in independent learning and presentation of course work. The following topics need to be incorporated within such an effective user education programme.

3.1 Maximising the use of the library

This topic is intended to expose users to the myriad of information resources available in the library. It is also intended to familiarise them with the nomenclature and terminology used to identify the various types of information. It is further intended to familiarise users with the various services offered by the library. To this effect, the sub-topics are:

a) the nature of information;b) the various formats of information; andc) the library services.

3.2 Sources of information in libraries and how to use them

This component of the programme is intended to familiarise the users with the broad categories of sources of information after literacy and to highlight the different uses to which they could be put. It is also intended to equip the users with the necessary skills required for efficient consultation of the various categories of resources. The sub-topics are:

a) physical sources (primary sources, e.g., books, periodicals, models, etc.);b) bibliographic sources (secondary sources, e.g., the library catalogues,

abstracts, indexes, etc.); andc) library sources (tertiary sources, e.g., yearbooks, encyclopaedias, etc.).

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3.3 How to study

This component is included in order to help the user to adjust to independent learning, as opposed to absolute dependence on lectures. The role of the individual in shaping his destiny is to be emphasised. Consequently, the various methods of successful study are to be introduced to the users through the following sub-topics:

a) plans and time-tables;b) learning and remembering;c) notes and lectures;d) reading; ande) group discussion and group work.

3.4 Efficient reading

The idea of the individual’s role in his own education would need to be strengthened by his ability to read efficiently. This component is intended to equip the user with the relevant skills for quick and efficient reading. The sub-topics are:

a) the process of reading; andb) the strategy of reading.

3.5 Assignment skills

This component is intended to equip the user with the skills of preparing for an assignment. It is also intended to expose the users to logical ways of thinking when preparing an assignment. The sub-topics are:

a) what to do;b) where to go for information;c) how to locate and select the resources;d) how to record and store relevant information;e) how to use the resources;f) how to present findings; andg) how to check oneself.

3.6 Writing an assignment

This component is closely related to the previous topic. The purpose of this component is to equip the user with the various techniques of presenting an assignment or term paper. The sub-topics are:

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a) efficient reading;b) using printed sources;c) planning;d) note taking;e) referencing; andf) methods of presentation

The programme is thus designed in two distinct sections. The first section is basically concerned with bibliographic instruction, or teaching the students how to maximally use the library resources; the second is intended to assist students to adjust to the style of education, which is largely dependent on individual participation and motivation as it is mostly resource based [6].

4. RECOMMENDATIONS

The public library should play an important role by providing community information services. For this, the role of the existing library system should be changed first. Then, the model for restructuring of the information centre is to be built in such a way that it should cover programmes with the objectives of the development of the community.

A number of recommendations about the future role of public libraries are mentioned below [2, 7]:

1. There should be a programme for the eradication of illiteracy. In such a case, the library may participate in the National Literacy Campaign Programme, although the provision of support for literacy programmes run elsewhere.

2. The meeting of study needs, i.e., libraries should also be careful of developing and preserving the reading materials in respect of the particular language and script of the community.

3. A programme may focus on the encouragement of the students for their education, through formal or informal schooling provided by the library professionals.

4. Inculcate reading habits among the people particularly the younger ones. The libraries should develop services aimed at serving neo-literate of the community with suitable literature and prevent them from falling back to illiteracy and organise adult education classes for illiterates. In other words, there is a provision of alternative education programmes by way of non-formal education, adult education, etc.

5. The promotion of parental development programmes through encouraging reading in the home.

6. The professionals of the rural libraries should take the responsibility of educating the mothers of the community on how to seek and use information, to initiate document and disseminate rural community information by calling for community participation.

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7. Changes in the methods by which students may receive information.8. The development of life-skills programmes, i.e., the library and information

centres may guide the people for the use of various welfare measures such as the utilisation of solar energy and so on.

9. The provision of work-skills programmes (designed to help certain groups obtain and perform particular jobs).

10. The teaching of childcare skills.11. The libraries should develop special collections for the community according

to their needs. The libraries should develop audio and video collections and organise audio-visual programmes for their benefit.

12. Efforts should be given by the library and information centre to collect all sorts of information relating to and on the community with an objective to make the people aware of all the opportunities of education, employment, economic and cottage industry development, agricultural training, fishery management, water facilities, medical and health care, any type of preventive measures, etc. both in the government and non-government levels, which they should avail for their own betterment and existence. The advantage of the modern computerised data/information storage and retrieval as well as access to the communication network systems may further facilitate the availability of information in respect of the community.

13. Community information should be provided by developing “Local History Collection” including geographical or topographical situation of the place, history of the place and the place name, the history of the original inhabitants as well as the present inhabitants of the place, and their races, castes, genealogy, etc.

14. Collect the necessary information from newspapers, TV and radio.15. Design a network of the teachers, nurses, doctors, civil servants, agricultural

extension workers, traders, lawyers, etc. to supply all types of community information.

16. The library may motivate the people of the community to hold their meeting for the settlement of their disputes, to attend any story-telling classes, to organise any cultural programmes of dance and music, to celebrate the birth days of national leaders, to observe any red-letter day, etc. by providing them the library premises to use freely in order to accelerate the exchange of information among the community.

17. An arrangement for occasional get-together among the library members of the community may be held in the library premises. In this case the arrangement for some cultural programmes or the like may indirectly strengthen the information exchange and general awareness among the community.

18. The library and information centre may encourage the people for their involvement in the socio-economic development projects in their leisure time.

19. Make provision for assistance and advice to pensioners/aged users.20. Increase over-all efficiency of the libraries (i.e., community information

centres).

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References

1. ADAM (Ralph) and ROSE (John B). Problems in implementation of and training of information systems for subnational development planning. In Information systems for givernment and business: Trends, issues, challenges. 1988. United Nations Centre for Regional Development, Nagoya, Japan. p.287-315.

2. BEKKER (S) and LATEGAN (L). Libraries in black urban South Africa: An exploratory survey. South African Journal of Library and Information Science. 56, 2; 1988; 63-72.

3. KANIKI (A M). Exploratory study of information needs in the Kwa-Ngwanase (Natal) and Qumbu (Transkei) communities of South Africa. South African Journal of Library and Information Science. 63, 1; 1995; 9-18.

4. KEMPSON (Elaine). Information for self-reliance and self-determination: The role of community information services. IFLA Journal. 12, 3; 1986; 182-191.

5. KEMPSON (Elaine). Rural community information services: A literature review and guidelines for developing services. 1990. Unesco, Paris. (PGI-90/WS/15).

6. LUNGU (Charles B M). Educating library users at Copperbelt University. Information Development. 6, 4; 1990; 210-216.

7. MARTIN (William J). The potential for community information services in a develpoing country. IFLA Journal. 10, 4; 1984; 385-392.

8. PRINGGOADISURJO (Luwarish). Issues and challenges in library development. Information Development. 7, 2; 1991; 79-80.

9. UNESCO. UNESCO public library manifesto. 3rd rev. version. 1994. Reprinted in Granthagar. 45, 4; 1995; 16-18.

10. YATES (B). Information needs of human beings. Journal of Library and Information Science. 11, 1; 1986; 86-87.

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