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The Hybrid Library: From a State of Disarray to a State of Grace

Explore the challenges and solutions facing libraries in the digital age. Discover how to combine technology with essential public service to better serve users and stay relevant in a changing landscape.

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The Hybrid Library: From a State of Disarray to a State of Grace

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  1. The Hybrid Library: From a State of Disarray to a State of Grace Roy Tennant The California Digital Library

  2. The Hybrid Library • Libraries are, and will remain, a varied and complex mix of collections and services • Collections will continue to be in print, electronic, and digital formats • Services will need to be both physical and virtual • Staff will be called upon to gain new competencies and fulfill new roles • We must combine use of technology with our essential public service mission

  3. “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times…” — A Tale of Two Cities, Charles Dickens

  4. Libraries are in Trouble • Overall, usage is declining across the board (circulation, reference, etc.) • The common perception is that the Internet can now do it all • This may lead some to assume that libraries do not need as much support

  5. The Common Perception

  6. The Reality • Too many information sources and too many places to go check • Not enough assistance at the time and place they need it • Not enough ways to filter, sort, and otherwise narrow in on what is needed • Not enough awareness of print resources • Too enticing to think that which is easy to find is good enough • Our users have never needed us more than they do now!

  7. How Can We Be There for Them? • Think creatively about how to better serve their needs (clean slate thinking) • Work cooperatively to develop robust services: • Cooperative online reference • Gateways, union catalogs, and crawled indexes • Be in their face and out of their way

  8. Being “Out of Their Way” • Our users simply want to get their work done • Over-complicated search systems hinder access for the majority — only librarians like to search, everyone else likes to find! • We must bring together access to multiple information resources

  9. Local Catalog Vendor Dbs Local Web Site Remote Catalogs CD-ROM Databases Remote Digital Content Local Digital Content Remote Web Sites

  10. Local Catalog Vendor Dbs Local Web Site Remote Catalogs CD-ROM Databases Remote Digital Content Local Digital Content Remote Web Sites

  11. Local Catalog Vendor Dbs Local Web Site Remote Catalogs CD-ROM Databases Remote Digital Content Local Digital Content Remote Web Sites

  12. Local Catalog Vendor Dbs Local Web Site Remote Catalogs CD-ROM Databases Remote Digital Content Local Digital Content Remote Web Sites

  13. Local Catalog Vendor Dbs Local Web Site Remote Catalogs CD-ROM Databases Remote Digital Content Local Digital Content Remote Web Sites

  14. Local Catalog Vendor Dbs Local Web Site Remote Catalogs CD-ROM Databases Remote Digital Content Local Digital Content Remote Web Sites

  15. Local Catalog Vendor Dbs Local Web Site Remote Catalogs CD-ROM Databases Remote Digital Content Local Digital Content Remote Web Sites

  16. Gateway Schematic Interactive Assistance User Interface Pre- and Post-Processing Engine Library Catalog Journal Article Databases Web Sites Digital Library Collections

  17. Being “Out of Their Way”: How • Simplify the front end • Complicate the back end: • Search more sources • Pre-process the query • Post-process the results • Offer options for filtering, sorting • Provide ways the user can control and personalize their interface

  18. http://searchlight.cdlib.org/cgi-bin/searchlight

  19. Being “In Their Face”: Why? • Many catalogs and search systems are difficult to understand and use • Users need help at the moment they get stuck — email is inadequate • Unless assistance is obvious and convenient, the user will remain stuck • Other, readily available information sources, can be convenient but inadequate (web search engines, for example)

  20. Being “In Their Face”

  21. Getting it Right • Only we can bring together access to the entire information universe • Only we are skilled at evaluation, selection, organization, delivery, and preservation of information • Only we can combine the power of the Internet with excellent public service

  22. How to Get it Right • Strong and effective print collections • Digital content when and where it makes sense • More information about print material in our catalogs • Strong integration of print and digital • Easy and effective pathways to good Internet resources

  23. What it Means to Get it Right • It will be the very technologies that threaten us that will be our salvation • By getting it right, we will be more effective and more appreciated than ever before

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