What do we librarians do in this new connected world? towards a new Road Map!

What do we Librarians do in this new connected world? Towards a new Road Map!

Lbn.Rajashekhar Devarai

Chief Librarian, Asian School of Business Management, Bhubaneswar.

November 13, 2011

Based on different reports and surveys Robert Rego sums up the new connected world in the following ways :

1. By 2020 almost everything from cameras to tooth brushes will become connected adding upto 50 billion connected divices.
2. Technology will bring about huge changes in the way we work share and care about our fellow human beings.
3. 5 billion people will have broad band by 2016 and a majority of them will use the connectivity facility on their mobile phone.
4. For every on there has to be the solution that eases the digital life.  Taking into account the micro solutions and being able to offer the life changing technology at competitive prices is what we need and can all redefining the digital life style.
5. The mobile worker population will exceed one billion this year and 1.2 billion by 2013.
6. To enable a true digital life style one needs consumer cloud services platforms which encompasses various aspects of a digital life style.

How prepared are we as librarians to cater to and cope up  with this new and emerging digital life style of people. Should technologists, scientists and engineers migrate to librarianship for effective confrontation.  Should librarianship open its gates of admissionb to more of science and engineering graduates? Should we think of a four year Library Technology Programme for +2 students? What happens to the librarians who are trainined in age old LIS concepts inclined more towards paper and print?

At times we accept that our profession is at cross road…….. or is it that we are at multiple corss roads?  Knowingly or unknowingly every one of us (librarians) viz practitioners, teachers and scholars seem to be puzzled, taken aback, confused over the fast pace of technological changes that push us,  sideline us and rubbish us often.

It is indeed a challenge and opportunity as well.  Professions are never static these days.  Before they consolidate their status and position they are at cross roads very often.  And in the process they transform their intellectual assets and skills faster and faster.  Nbow this is the age of constant adaptation and change for modern active professionals and professions.  Librarinship is not an exception to this.  Sooner than later, with or without librarians the modern library / information knowledge clientele will find their appropriate professionals, tools and techniques to serve them to guide them and inspire them.  Digital life style is already in.  Librarians cannot afford to be away and aloof from this all pervading, all encompassing pressure and influence and invasion of digits.

Let us be awake and aware, lest we will be left behind many miles behind and we would be lost in the wilderness of global competitions and melt downs!

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Reference

1.      Robert Rego/You are connected.-Times of India, November 13, 2011

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