repositioning the profession: a case of a modern public library

Repositioning the Profession: A Case of a Modern Public Library

M S SridharFormer Head, Library and Documentation

ISRO Satellite Centre, [email protected]

12 June 2015Bits and Bytes Lecture Series

NCSI-Net Foundation, Karnataka State Library Association (KALA) and SRELS

Status Rank of the Profession in Society

• In a decade old study of prestige hierarchy of 28 occupations with three parameters on a five point scale Mean ratings of Library Scientist for Prestige,

Interest and Parental Approval, respectively, were 2.34, 2.01 and 2.37

Library Scientist was placed at 22nd Rank after Ayurveda practitioner, Office Secretary and Accounts Clerk

Later ranks have only Chef, Cook, Carpenter and the like

M S Sridhar Repositioning the profession & a public library 2

Future predictions are aplenty• Like Astrology and Vastu on TV channels,

futurology is very popular in other spheres also

• Futurologists need not have a logical basis for prediction and it is not based on systematic extrapolation

• It is risk-free/ responsibility-free• There is no post-facto evaluation of the

predictions M S Sridhar Repositioning the profession & a public library 4

Some catch words of predictions

• Paperless society• Libraries without walls• Google vs. library• Why library when Internet is there?• Digitisation• User-empowerment• Disintermediation• End of public libraries

M S Sridhar 5Repositioning the profession & a public library

The Issue (Endangered profession)• Digital technology has virtually eroded

traditional printing, photography and music industries and created a natural scare about: Identity crises Fear of extinction Need for repositioning

‘life is not about limitations, but about options’


Repositioning options1. Invisible Intermediary (fifth model of Brophy)2. Pro-active Librarian ( become more proactive in

presenting information like project documentation)

3. Embedded Librarian (forms part of user-group)4. Aligning with Information provider Institutions

(license manager, information delivery manager)5. Allied services – Archivist, Curator, Historian,

Publishing/ Content Industry, etc.New roles become just change of nomenclature if

not able to add valueM S Sridhar Repositioning the profession & a public library 7

Are libraries finished? Five arguments for and against by Peter Jackson(BBC News, 4 February 2011)

• With more than 400 public libraries under threat of closure, there was a campaign to save them

• The fact is that both library visitors and their budgets were falling

3.4 million fewer visits and 188,000 fewer active borrowers in 2010 than in 2009

• They fought against this "cultural vandalism“ of closing public libraries by observing a national day of protest


Scene one

Public Libraries in 21st century (USA)• Americans for Libraries Council champions the cause

to sustain and develop libraries in the 21st century• The “Community Soldiers” in every community fight

for Libraries, make things happen without holding any official post• Civic leaders do see the great strengths of the public

library in the digital age and affirm that there is a future for public libraries in the Internet age• Americans say that public libraries will continue to

play a vital role; if they are shut down, they feel “that something essential and important has been lost, affecting the whole community” (78 percent)


Scene two

The Library of Birmingham

• First built in 1866 (26th Oct)• Fire destroyed partly on 11 JAN 1879• Reopened on 1 Jan 1882 with 14000

Pounds worth books



In 2013, a new building was built demolishing this 30-year old library building

The New Building (2013)spread over 9 floors31,000 square metres at a cost of 195 m Pounds

• It is one of the largest public libraries in the world

• It is crowded like a pilgrimage center and a tourist attraction with over 7000 visitors a day


The New Building

The New Building• Local Authorities got a soft loan from

Government at preferential rates• Internationally–acclaimed Dutch

architects Mecanoo• Designed to capture the imagination and

showcase library’s impressive collections and rich cultural programmes

• Brought alive with the help of new digital technologies


Partnership Model and Service Innovation

• ‘The Library of Birmingham will operate a new model for delivering library services’

• Working collaboratively with the local community and enable partners to learn actively

• The group of libraries have an excellent reputation for service innovation and working with partners


Role of Public Library Redefined• Effectively redefined the role and

incorporated new facilities and services like: Digital theater Amphitheater for children Local history center (The Wolfson

Centre) for Archival Research Number of large discussion rooms and

meeting hallsM S Sridhar 27Repositioning the profession & a public library

Role of Public Library Redefined Free films at the BFI Mediatheque (films

and TV programs from the British Film Institute National Archive)

The Library of Birmingham Gallery (of photographs)

Shakespeare museum Music library (with a live piano for users)


Role of Public Library RedefinedLibrary Cafe (plus multiple tea corners)Library of Birmingham ShopLarge garden on 7th floor, additional

garden and balconies to view the cityEscalator ramp, Transparent tube

(tunnel-type) lift and so onNo doors, no restrictions on entry and

on personal belongings



No doors, no restrictions on entry and on personal belongings


Library Cafe


Music library with a live piano for users with circular open to sky hall


Children library with amphitheater


Amphitheater for children


Escalator ramp


Number of large discussion rooms and meeting halls


Free films at the BFI Mediatheque (films and TV programmes from the British Film Institute National Archive)


Local history center (The Wolfson Centre for Archival Research)


Shakespeare museum


Large garden on 7th floor


Balconies to view the city

First impression • It has a look of a huge mall and housed in

a marvelous building • It is more a cultural centre and tourist

place than mere library• It is a combination of library, museum

and archive• Stands as unique example of aesthetics

overshadowing functionality of library


Dreamt of Karnataka State Public Library having

• Planetarium• Science Museum• Kaveri Craft

Emporium• Coffee house• Digital Auditorium

(Balbhavan)


• Local History Library (similar to Mythic Society Library)

• State Archive• Film Archive• Art Gallery• Museum of

Literary Giants


• Public libraries have begun to add seeds to theirofferings • Expected more seed

distribution as part of public library programs than any other venue• This book has a chapter

devoted to the Role of Public Libraries

Seeds distributed in Public Libraries!

Scene three

Indian Public Libraries• "There is a plan to modernise and

digitally link nearly 9,000 librariesacross the country in a bid to provide readers access to books andinformation,“ (2011?) – Mr. Kaul

• “One lakh Kannada books will be digitised in one year (2004)” Director of Public libraries, Karnataka

• Schema for Library and Knowledge Networks in Karnataka - KKC Vision


Scene four

Book selling by libraries (Libraries See Opening as Bookstores Close)

• Vicki Culler shops for discounted books at the Friends of the Public Library in Cincinnati

• Public library in Arlington Heights sells multiple copies of library at the Friends of the Library’s used-book sales, alongside other poorly circulated, donated and out-of-date materials


Cases from other types of libraries• Special Library

1. Marketing and Distribution of publications & technical journals

2. Remote sensing and other data management & distribution

• Academic Library 1. A counter/ bookshop for publications

of parent institution (Prasaranga books)


Others doing library consultancy• In 2011, Amazon launched an e-book lending

programme in America (someone called it ‘Librarians Unemployment Act’

• Book-seller sets up libraries: Heywood Hill , a book-seller in Mayfair since 1936, has quietly become a leading purveyor of bespoke libraries

• Collected and installed 3,000 books on 20th-century Modernist art and design as a library at a cost of £500,000 for a Chalet in Switzerland (2013)M S Sridhar Repositioning the profession & a public library 53

Others doing library consultancy

• Nicky Dunne, who runs Heywood Hill, sold books on current affairs into brown suede attaché cases for a suite of 30 private jets

• Various subscription offers include Anglophile (£950 for four boxes of hardbacks throughout the year) or the Expat (£500 for the same in paperbacks)

• Bespoke libraries now account for nearly half of their turnover


Public libraries by private parties• R Sundar Rajan after spending more than

15 years in IT industry, sets up ‘Justbooks’, a chain of franchised public libraries. This has all the look and feel of traditional library minus restrictive norms and rules plus appropriate use of technology for enhancing the service value

• Librarywala of Mubmai has 8,700 books from over 10 categories with more than 1,100 subscribers


Conclusion• In India, closure of libraries and the need for

repositioning the profession are imported issues• Repositioning the profession, if any, due to

changes in job requirements is imagined only within the domain of ICT

• Should we move away from traditional practice? If yes, which way?

• Archivist, curatorship, historian and content creator/ publisher are more close to LIS, by its nature and hence should have been the natural options to reposition the profession


Conclusion• Repositioning requires:

Preparedness for change Thinking big and tangentially A visionary approach Preparedness to shun traditional norms

and beliefs Redefining and deciding the roles Acquiring new skills Substantial change in LIS education


Thank You

For more details, photos and drone captured video of the library visit

http://www.libraryofbirmingham.com/

repositioning the profession: a case of a modern public library

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