The trouble with books

While picking up books…again..after the recent quakes, I had time to reflect on the 0n the value of  electronic collections, where there are no shelves to rattle, no journals to spill, no books to fall. Wouldn’t it be nice…I thought.

But.. it’s not all beer and skittles with electronic collections. There is the absence of the look, feel and smell of a good book, and the need to have access to decent broadband, and the necessary software .. and hardware. But, more importantly for Academic Libraries, there are serious gaps in what publishers make available electronically. Concerns over the management of digital rights, the threat of pirating, and copyright issues, have made academic publishers wary of providing libraries with access to textbooks, and key academic titles.

Public Libraries have started to issue e-readers  preloaded with titles, and there are strong arguments for and against this move. Academic libraries, especially those outside of the United States, do not have  so many options.

Things will change, and publishers will come up with new licensing models, which will provide libraries with access to content. There will be a cost, and that is only to be expected as publishers try to protect their business. In the meantime, it is interesting to keep an eye on the developments in the public library world, where publishers still call the shots, and can make it difficult to, meet the demand for ebooks, and the expectations of an e-savvy public.

Here at CPIT we continue to grow our collection of ebooks. There are a growing number of suppliers, increasing the  range of titles available, but also increasing the diversity of reading experiences – some are better than others, and some allow for downloading onto a reader…some don’t.

I am interested in hearing about experiences of ebooks here at CPIT.

Do you use ebooks? 

Have you noticed the different publishers?

EBL, SAFARI, Ebrary, GALE ?

They all look and behave slightly differently, but the aim is to provide students with the information they need, when they need it, without having to come into the library, or wait for the book to be returned.

For the titles that are not available as ebooks, and for those who prefer their words and pictures in print, we will continue to maintain our book collections…and continue to pick them up off the floor in the event of an aftershock!

Where are we going?

…and how will we know when we get there?

Libraries as we know them, have changed over the past 10 years or so. In fact, theyhaven’t stopped changing since the first Mechanics Institute and Exchange Libraries were introduced in New Zealand in the mid 1800’s

Shhhh

Academic Libraries have evolved from silent hallowed halls, to the busy, vibrant, learning spaces that we all know and love…or not.  Libraries have become ‘blended spaces’.

At CPIT the Library is a place to meet, to study, to share ideas, to work with others on presentations, and discuss projects. The availability of pc’s, study rooms, laptops, t.v’s, photocopiers, printers, books, journals, and access to the support and expertise of Librarians and Learning Advisors, combine to make it a lively, and occasionally overwhelming, place to be. 

I recently read an interesting Blog by Stephen Bell, talking about academic Libraries, learning technologies and the user experience. He looks at the future of academic Libraries and the people who work in them.

Saltire Centre

Libraries in time and space

 Libraries have changed. Academic Libraries perhaps more than most. Gone are the ‘good old days’ when turning a page too loudly would invoke a raised finger and a well-practiced “Shhh”.

The academic Library is now a learning space, somewhere to access resources (print, and increasingly electronic), but also somewhere to work collaboratively with others, gather round a computer, run through a class presentation, work on a team project, or just catch up with friends. 

Electronic publishing has made it possible for Libraries to re-think their collections. Wifi… and comfortable chairs .. have also helped in the creation of  innovative learning spaces within libraries. The book is not dead, but for academic study electronic books and journals take up less space, provide 24/7 access, and do not incur overdue fines.

While the Library as a place has changed, it’s  purpose remains the same – to support teaching, learning and research. This is done through the development of relevant collections, and through the provision of professional staff who are able to navigate the often overwhelming range of information resources. With this in mind the current changes proposed at Canterbury University Library should be of concern to students, academics and librarians alike.