Literature review
2. Introduction
2.4 Issues facing academic and research libraries
2.4.2 Technological infrastructure
The studies discussed in this chapter indicate that there seems tobe changing patterns in the use of print and electronic resources. Ray and Day (1998) state that students are encouraged to use electronic resources whilst at university. As technology continues to dominate the
information society, users are encouraged to use electronic resources as more information becomes available online. The proliferation of the availability of information in electronic format may force libraries to cancel some print resources that also appear in electronic form, to cut costs.
The provision of electronic information comes with additional costs for information technologies. Users cannot access electronic information resources if there are no
"workstations with the appropriate hardware and software such as Acrobat Reader, printers and accesstothe Internet and the university server" (pather 2004: 149). In addition, this equipment would require space. This is another challenge for librarians, especially in an environment where users depend on the library to access electronic resources.
Considering the space issue, some authors have argued that there will be no need for a [large]
library building in future, as:
Libraries will primarily be a series of small but powerful computers... A library could be only large enough to contain a bank of public terminals which willbeused to retrieve and display information from remote databanks (Corbin in Drabenstott 1994: 14).
Cummingset al., 1992 (in Drabenstott 1994: 14) felt that it would be impractical to build large, costly warehouse-type structures to shelve print materials, replicating collections that exist elsewhere, for instance in electronic format. Drabenstott (1994: 14) projected that physical library space would be of little concern, since electronic resources would be accessible through information technologies. These technologies would enable library staff and patronstoaccess the resources from their offices, homes or any convenient site. These arguments refer to digital libraries, where information exists only in digital electronic format rather than print (Barker 1997: 94). Itwould be assumed that library users have access to information technologies such as hardware and Internet connectivity outside the library.
Academic and research libraries in Mrica are still far from realising this dream. For
instance, even though universities are better equipped in relatively well-off South Africa, one thousand people can depend on just one terminal (Witten, Loots, Trujillo and Bainbridge
[n.d.]) Most academic and research libraries acquire print resources and provide access to electronic resources at the same time. Hence the issue of space cannot be ignored altogether.
Lack of access to personal computers among library users implies user dependence on computers available in the library to access electronic resources. InMorse and Clintworth's (2000) study, respondents indicated limited time and lack of skills to retrieve information electronically.Itwould be assumed, therefore, that these respondents relied to a greater extent on the library to access computers. They also needed assistance from library staff to retrieve information.
The requirement for suitable technology to use electronic resources is projected inPullinger's (1999) study. Respondents did not use electronic resources because oflack of remote access, which was controlled by user authentication and password. This would require the library to provide sufficient computer terminals and related technologies to allow users to access electronic resources within the library or academic institution. Crawford and Gorman (1995) state that:
There are other costs to the library that are associated with electronic reference works.
Online resources require terminals or workstations. CD-ROM publications require computers and increasingly, networking. The user needs more than a table and a good light to use an electronic resource.
Though it is argued that subscriptions to electronic journals save space in the library, computer hardware and related technology need space where users can access them to consult electronic resources. Ifusers use the library to access electronic resources, sufficient numbers of computers are required. Therefore, access to electronic resources cannot be separated from the mediums through which they are accessed. Fecko (1997: 11) states, "the acquisition of electronic resources is directly tied to the availability of, or willingness to purchase, suitable technology to use the resources." The issue of space can thus notbe discarded completely, as in such situations libraries need to ensure enough terminals for users to access and utilise electronic resources.
InRosenberg's (1997) study, the Librarian of the University of Zimbabwe Medical Library indicated that she had not realised how fast technology would change and how often
computers would malfunction. On top of that, databases were costly to maintain and updating of hardware presented continual problems (Rosenberg 1997: 29). The Cheikh Anta Diop University Librarian indicated that the use of computers brought an additional cost burden in terms of updating equipment, maintenance and creating suitable space and facilities. The trend seems to be the same in most academic and research libraries in Africa, due to the limited budgets allocated to them.
Brophy (2000: 50) states that academic libraries have become more dependent on the use of computers for the delivery of many of their services. However, with the dwindling budgets allocated to libraries, the provision ofaccess to electronic resources in African academic and research libraries is inhibited. As Westra 1993 (in MutuIa 2004: 3) argued:
... the decreasing offunding to [African] libraries has had an effect of low development of digital library and information services. In addition, Internet access in libraries is restricted because of the high costs of [providing] the services and computer equipment.
Users are thus either denied access or have limited access to information available electronically. Libraries are forced to charge for services for users to access electronic resources or, in some instances, users have to book to access these resources, due to limited access points.