Welcome to the blog of the Library & Information Association (Republic of Mauritius). This is a professional blog and we want to keep it clean. Feel free to share your views, seek assistance or troubleshoot any problem you have at hand. We do not pretend to be high tech but discussing with peers may be a beginning to resolve a difficulty. Your comments are most welcome. I hope this blog will be beneficial to all in our LIS community.
R. Hauroo
To all our members, supporters and regular visitors to this site, let me on behalf of LIA and as President of the Association wish you and your family a Merry Xmas and a Happy New Year 2010. Let us hope that the year 2010 will be a very successful year for all of us and more particularly for the library and information profession.
R. Hauroo
Pursuing our reflections on the need to constantly re-invent libraries, provide innovative product offerings and incorporate lifestyle habits into libraries as it is the case in the United States, Europe and emerging South-East Asian countries like Singapore, South Korea and China, one wishes to share another novel idea which is being embraced by U.S public libraries.
Video games, once considered as being largely responsible for having a negative impact on children’s violent behaviour are being gradually introduced among the mainstream services just like popular music, movies, television and books. According to C.K. Olson and L. Kutner, Directors of the Centre for Mental Health and Media (Harvard Medical School), gaming may also “help children develop valuable skills like collaboration, problem-solving, teamwork and coping with negative emotions”. Other benefits of adding video games among public library services are: they provide an added source of entertainment and a mix of recreation in social and communal activities, they foster increased interaction and synergy between the library and the community, they act as an infrastructure providing transformational experiences targeted at non-library users such as children, teenagers and even the 30-35 age clientele who are traditionally an “under-served” group; gaming can also be used as a source of fundraising and may serve to enhance the profile of the library (Levine, 2009).
Successful experiments have been carried out at the Oak Park Public Library (Chicago), the John Fremont Public Library (Colorado) and Downers Grove Public Library (Chicago), amongst others. The Library Technology Reports journal (July 2009) reports interesting case studies which can serve as inspiration for public librarians in Mauritius and Rodrigues. Some of the pre-requisites include careful preparation and a good communication strategy with all stakeholders prior to the implementation of this new service. Gaming is being thus considered as an additional means of “designing a great library user experience”, a concept passionately advocated by Steven Bell (2009), an associate librarian at Temple University, Philadelphia.
I.Ramjaun
References
This old report on the Regional Seminar on The Development of Public Libraries in Africa held in Nigeria from 10-12 September 1962, may be of interest to those who would like to have a global view of the development of librarianship in Africa. The report focuses particularly on the training of library staff. Mention is made of Mauritius also. A comment made on courses offered is worth our reflection and it reads as follows “…From all this, it will be seen that the general pattern of training is uneven, and the most successful ventures have been in those countries where library schools have been established. The attachment of such schools to universities, as in South Africa, has given the profession a standing commensurate with other professions and with appropriate salaries. As library services expand in emergent countries, training policies will follow local needs rather than being dependent on outside sources…” This comment invites our critical analysis in the light of new developments taking place in libraries, specially in the digital era. To read the full report, click here …Public Libs in Africa.
R.Hauroo
Whilst most libraries in the developed countries are talking about going digital, libraries in Mauritius still seem to be much accustomed to the old fashioned style library with plenty of dusty books on their shelves just for the sake of filling their shelves. We wonder whether this is just a lack of infrastructure (when free software such as Greenstone, DSpace, etc are available !) or a lack of vision or simply a desire to keep gripping to the old conservative tradition.
Many of us have perhaps heard about the Europeana Project underway since 2005. If not, learn that Europeana is simply a Digital Libraries Initiative aimed at bringing to your desktop a collection of European books, newspapers, photos, maps, films and sound recordings. In sum, Europeana is “the common access point to the collections of European Libraries, Archives and Museums from all around Europe” (Europeana Website 2009). Europeana will be launched in 2010.
And when will our leading libraries and librarians in Mauritius start thinking about Digitisation? Time will tell…
Helen
There is presently much debate going on about what skills are required by students, workers and citizens to enable them to participate fully in the educational, social, economic and cultural activities in the emerging digital age. Fast broadband and Internet connection (gradually replacing the slow dial-up access using 56 kbps modems) will drive our information society to the next phase of development which is likely to drastically change the current information/knowledge-based economy. In democratic set ups like America, Great Britain and many other countries, there is a growing awareness about this “21st century skills”. Many government authorities have adopted explicit policies and attempt to ensure that all their citizens have adequate opportunities to access and effectively use ICTs in their daily lives. In the US, association like The Partnership for 21st Century Skills which is supported by the U. S. Department of Education and which is promoting the goals of No Child Left Behind programme, aims to define and incorporate into learning the skills that are necessary for every student’s success in the 21st Century. Another association, the NAMLE (National Association for Media Literacy Education) mentions that “media literacy is finally on Congress radar.” A bill introduced in the Senate provides that “Students need to go beyond just learning today’s academic context to develop critical thinking and problem solving skills, communications skills, creativity and innovation skills, collaboration skills, contextual learning skills, and information and media literacy skills.”
The European Commission (EC) too views that “Europeans young and old could miss out on the benefits of today’s high-tech information society unless more is done to make them ‘media literate’ enough to access, analyse and evaluate images, sounds and texts and use traditional and new media to communicate and create media content.” [Read more at http://www.sofiaecho.com/2009/08/20/772502_european-commission-urges-new-media-literacy.The EC recommendation on media literacy may be accessed at: http://ec.europa.eu/avpolicy/media_literacy/index_en.htm ]
Information Literacy and Librarians
Professional library associations like the American Library Association (ALA) and the Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA) have for years developed information literacy programmes. As per the definition of ALIA, information literacy is “the ability to recognise the need for information and to identify, locate, access, evaluate and effectively use the information to address and help resolve personal, job related or broader social issues and problems.”
It is clear that the term ’21st century skills‘ includes information literacy skills, digital literacy skills, media literacy skills, information and communication skills, critical thinking and problem-solving skills and interpersonal and self-directional skills. To succeed in the 21st century, one should have all these 21st century skills.
Role of libraries
Research papers have concluded that libraries and librarians can play a critical role both in making their users information literate and bridge the digital divide that exists at local, regional or national levels. Libraries can provide digitized full-text content, provide free access to computers and Internet and become national portals of digital information resources. In the changed environment, the librarian’s role have to shift from that of information locator (custodian role) to that of an information evaluator and instructor in the use and evaluation of information sources.
Libraries in local context
In the local context, unfortunately there are still some big libraries which are entirely dependent on print media. Automation of libraries is still a dream while employees are often seen performing all library house-keeping jobs manually. With regards to ICTs, the attitudes of some librarians having charge of important libraries are really frustrating. As soon as they hear about computers or computer-related technologies in the LIS field, their first reflex is that such things are the realm of computer technicians, systems analysts, database managers, not for librarians or library people. Such behaviours on behalf of those at the head of institutions are detrimental to the library profession in general. They forget that technology permeates all branches of learning, all disciplines and every sphere of our life. Lawyers, engineers, medical practitioners, people of all walks of life need ICTs in their daily personal and professional lives. If librarians and library employees are themselves not fully conversant with ICTs, it is difficult to see them having a role in the information literacy programmes. They may not be of any assistance in bridging the digital gap.
Library people have time and again complained about lack of training to develop ICT skills in employees. They wrongly believe that the onus of training falls entirely on their employers. In a climate of cataclysmic change, no one is guaranteed a job for a life time. Those who train themselves by constantly updating their skills and become multi-skilled and who are engaged in life long learning are those who have greater chance of employability in such changing workplaces. In the past, employers made it a duty to train their employees but nowadays this responsibility is given less importance. In difficult economic situations, they downsize their personnel and redeploy those who suit the new market requirements. Others are easily laid off as they become redundant due to lack of new skills to fit the new organisation. In the local context, our librarians and information workers need to give a serious thought about the exigencies of the 21st century and the skills required to meet all the forthcoming challenges.
P. Hauroo
References:
1. Wallis, Jake: Digital Directions: Cyberspace, Information Literacy and the Information Society. Library Review. Vol. 54 No. 4, 2005
2. Aqili, S. V and Moghaddam, A.I: Bridging the Digital Divide – The Role of Librarians and Information Professionals in the Third Millenium. The Electronic Library. Vol. 26 No. 2, 2008.
LIA e-Newsletter Vol 1 No 4 of September 2009 has been published. Just click here … LIA e-Newsletter Vol 1 No 4 of Sept 2009 to read /download it.
The application of information and communication technologies (ICTs) in library and information services in many developing countries has transformed the very nature and provision/delivery of information services in those countries. By just visiting the websites of academic and national institutions in countries like Malaysia, Singapore, Philippines, India and many others, one would get an idea of how fast their libraries are growing. This is happening because they have been able to take advantage of emerging technologies. The response of the authorities there has been quick to satisfy the information requirements of the young tech savvy generation. Development of digital libraries, 24/7 online services, setting up of library consortia to provide access to e-journals databases, open archives of full text documents, etc are all realities in those countries. What about the overall picture of institutions in this area in our country?
At present there is in the pipeline a few computerization projects for library housekeeping jobs . However, these computerization projects are meant to facilitate the tasks of library personnel and are aimed primarily to ease housekeeping library activities. The users (end users) of the library and information services are not the direct and real beneficiaries of the computerized systems being implemented. Moreover, there exist great variations in the size, collection, staff and level of ICT application in the libraries in Mauritius. There are small one-man libraries in schools, relatively good collections in municipal libraries with automated library functions, private sector libraries with qualified personnel and automated housekeeping activities along with national institutions offering online library catalogues. But none of these institutions have been able to provide, in the strict sense of the term, real online library and information services to the local users. Except minor queries which are answered by email or on phone, for most information needs, users need to come on site to consult the resources. The user and the information resource have to be physically on the same spot for the service to take place.
The application of ICTs in libraries can help to resolve many problems including the acute problem of space in some libraries. This is specially true in those libraries which have a mandate to conserve and preserve for posterity the national print heritage of the country. It is commonplace to see the duplication of storage of same materials in various libraries. Serial publications such as newspapers, periodicals and popular magazines are big eaters of shelves space in many libraries. A national policy on preservation and conservation of such materials would have avoided the wastage of scarce resources and unnecessary duplication. The same applies for local multimedia productions such as films, videos, sound recordings, CDs and DVDs. In the past, some libraries have resorted to compact shelving to solve the problem but it was only palliatives as newspapers and magazines are fast growing media in terms of size or volume. Libraries have no other option than to digitize their collections or convert them into microform to solve the storage problem. The application of ICTs in this area is critical.
The provision of mere bibliographic descriptions of locally held information resources through the online public access catalogue (OPAC) is now commonplace. However, users nowadays require much more than bibliographic descriptions of documents. Their need is the information itself and this need can be satisfied only by providing access to the full text documents online, round the clock. Users do not have the time to come to the library in person and in a world fully wired, connected, networked and more and more virtual / digital, they would like to access the information at the time they want it and in the format they want. In brief, such service should be made available to them at the click of a button.
The immense capability of computer technologies to process, manipulate and retrieve information in a very short time is yet another reason to apply ICTs in library and information services. Retrieval of full text documents from archives of e-journals databases, sounds and images retrieval and online document delivery system are all within the realm of new possibilities. The potential for ICTs in library and information services are really immense and yet unexploited in Mauritius.
It is true that the application of ICTs in libraries and information services requires heavy investments in hardware, software and in the training of people. Nothing comes free and a sustained effort is required to implement digitisation projects spanned over a number of years. Besides the glorified virtues of technologies, one should however, not forget the human side of the problem when implementing technological solutions. The readiness of the population to accept the change has to be ensured. If the virtual library or “library without walls” is possible with the help of ICTs, the emergence of a new type of illiterates who, though having the ability to read and write, and who may be ” technology illiterates” cannot be totally ruled out. In our so-called present information age, digital literacy (the ability to use computer, the Internet and web-based applications) is crucial. If the trend in the application of ICTs is more and more oriented towards the individual which ultimately empowers him to enjoy a sort of ”self-service” as far as information service is concerned, on the other hand, the same technologies also exclude and marginalizes a segment of the “technology illiterate” population. This digital gap may worsen the plight of the socially excluded labour force to play an active role in the development of the nation. With consideration to these social problems, can our library and information services make the shift “from collection to connection” to play their roles fully in the information age?
R . Hauroo
The main public libraries in Mauritius have been in existence for more than half a century now. All of them are housed in relatively new, purpose-built buildings, are managed by professional librarians and are quite well off in terms of budget. They are now in the process of adopting a new library management system that will enable them to eventually offer an Online Public Access Catalogue (OPAC) to their users, in addition to library networking.
But in the vast majority of cases, only the traditional types of library and information services such as circulation, reference, Internet, reprography and children’s services are offered to patrons.
In this era characterised by economic downturn, budgetary cuts, downsizing, declining library membership, shortage of staff and fierce competition from other information providers, perhaps the biggest challenge is to re-invent the public library in terms of collections and product offerings so that it is always perceived as being useful, dynamic and attractive in the eyes of its clientele, parent institution as well as other stakeholders. Today’s library managers have the huge responsibility to be proactive, to think big, to be daring and to show much inventiveness. Learning from best practices is a golden rule in business management. This equally applies to the library world.
In this context, the case of the Denver Public Library in Colorado, U.S.A is worth mentioning. Monnie Nilsson reports in the July issue of The Denver Post that public libraries in this region are increasingly thinking outside the book, intelligently shifting from paper to pixels and adopting consumer-based models in library management. These libraries, which comprise no less than 250 outlets are making the flow of information between users and staff a two-way traffic and more interactive. Among their interesting and innovative services, one can mention the following:
1.Digital Download – by means of Internet access and a library card, the public library offers patrons the possibility to download a book and read it from their desktops, download and listen to an audio book with an MP3, download selected music files or view a movie, for instance.
2. Business Help Desk – anyone interested to start a new business, expand an existing one, or simply do business-related research can tap the resources of its public library which offers online access to many business databases in addition to BizBoost – a business research solutions support desk. Reference experts can help answer business questions or show how to utilize their powerful business databases, such as ReferenceUSA. BusinessDecision is another high-quality database package that performs sophisticated analyses such as identifying household buying patterns, selecting a merchandising mix, analysing competitors, and targeting direct-mail campaigns. These databases and others can be accessed remotely from any desktop computer.
3. Explore interests or Learning something new – the local library also offers classes on how to organize live concert performances, drama,, handicrafts, knitting, yoga, do-it yourself skills and so on to anyone interested in learning something new. Moreover, organizing literary activities, competitions, exhibitions, workshops, talks on topics of current interests on a regular basis are indirect means of attracting patrons to public libraries.
4. Bookstore-like Model or Layout – a public library that is built around the bookstore type of design or layout, located in or near shopping centres with multiple copies of best sellers prominently displayed in visually appealing stacks, with coffee shops around, and incorporating some lifestyle habits in order to eliminate the austere, intellectual and rather monotonous atmosphere of traditional libraries and make them more user-friendly and attractive.
5. Job Bank – in this era of economic recession, the public library can play the wonderful role of a community technology centre by providing a ‘job kiosk’ (job postings and links to job sites ) via the library’s website, helping jobless people build or update their job resume , conducting job-search strategies classes, arranging for practice interviews, allowing job seekers to watch videos of successful job interviews, organising career guidance sessions , offering free practice testing for entrance examinations or to obtain an industry license via the Learning Express Library database.
In short, public libraries in Mauritius must necessarily keep pace with changes around them, think outside the box and constantly reinvent themselves to satisfy their communities’ expressed and unexpressed needs and strive to remain useful.
Ibrahim Ramjaun
Reference
Nilsson, Monnie (2009). From Digital Media to Job Tips, Libraries Expand Offerings
In The Denver Post, 7 July.
In the local context, the term “squatter” is well known and is used to describe people who settle or occupy property, buildings or unoccupied space illegally. In the field of ICT’s “Cybersquatting” is used frequently. This term has been coined to designate ‘domain squatting’. Cybersquatters register and/or use domain names with bad faith to eventually sell them to companies willing to ‘buy’ the domain name(s) at much higher prices. Taking a broad view, one may say that to squat something is to appropriate things that do not by right belong to you. Can we apply the term ’squatting‘ in the local library and information sector? Recent events indicate that there exists some form of squatting in LIS. A new breed of squatters has born and it seems that they are determined to occupy positions for a life time. In the past, we have seen people considering top library positions as sinecures or semi-sinecures. We thought such beliefs and practices have disappeared but we were wrong. Staying in your post beyond compulsory retiring age may be considered as a form of squatting. Such unethical practices are detrimental to the profession and impact negatively on it in the long run. How can such practices affect the profession? In my view, there are two negative messages which are sent to society and the public in general. The first one is that there is a shortage of skills and competencies in the sector; there exist no new blood in the profession and that the younger generation is not capable of taking up the challenges of our new and highly technological world of LIS. The second message is that the same people are creating /forging a bad name / image for the profession in the minds of people who may preceive top positions in LIS as sinecures. If squatting LIS top positions is true, the question that lurks is: how do we market the library and information profession to earn the respect it deserves? Is it possible to do it in the company of those same people who are digging the grave of the profession? Those who are part of the problem (or the problem itself), can they be part of the solution? ….. Points to ponder.
P. Hauroo
For many employees, job satisfaction or “a pleasurable or positive emotional state resulting from the appraisal of one’s job or job experience” (Locke, E.A, 1976) remains a distant dream, or an elusive goal pursued enthusiastically and relentlessly at the beginning of one’s career, but gradually abandonned when faced with the harsh realities of the work environment.
When an employee joins an organisation, the latter “seeks to make an agent of the individual for the achievement of organisational objectives” while the individual for his part, “seeks to make an agency of the organisation for the achievement of his personal objectives” (Flippo, E.B 1976). Therefore, in recruiting any staff, management should bear this in mind and attempt to devise appropriate ways and means of reconciling these two sets of goals, i.e bring about a fusion process by means of effective job orientation, staff development programmes, annual employee job satisfaction survey, fostering a proper organisational climate and organisational culture in which the individual staff member will feel at ease and more importantly, be motivated to give his best performance at work.
Regrettably, in this tough business environment characterised by global competition, downsizing and re-engineering, very often people are sacrificed at the alter of profitability despite the fact that human resource is the single most important asset in the organisation. It is still perceived as a cost to be reduced, rather than an investment to be made to work for the benefit of the organisation. Even a cursory look at the annual reports of reputable institutions reveals that the wage bill represents a significant percentage of their recurrent expenditures. However, it is becoming more and more obvious that the only true, lasting competitive advantage comes through human resources and how they are managed because at the end of the day, it is employees who will translate policies into action and implement desired change. Therefore, some questions which naturally come to mind include: How far is management concerned about employee job satisfaction ? Do they give concrete evidence of their commitment to enhance job satisfaction ?, Are they bothered about productivity only and overlook the means to achieve this ? Probably, these questions will remain unanswered in many organisations.
Dimensions of Job Satisfaction
Job satisfaction is a less visible emotional response to a job situation. It is determined by how well outcomes or rewards meet or exceed individual employee expectations. It represents several related attitudes and has at least five distinct dimensions, namely:
1. The work itself –the nature of the tasks to be accomplished daily is a main source of satisfaction, i.e whether they are boring, interesting, challenging provide opportunities for learning and offers status and some degree of autonomy. Job design plays a crucial role in this context.
2. Pay – salaries and wages are an important factor in job satisfaction as they help meet basic and upper level needs of staff. The latter often have a tendency to see pay as a reflection of how management views their contribution to the organization and to compare their remuneration and the degree to which this is viewed as equitable vis-à-vis that of their co-workers.
3. Promotion prospects – how far chances of climbing the professional ladder in the organization exist and under what conditions also has a direct impact on the level of job satisfaction. Whenever opportunities for advancement seem bleak, extra effort at work will not yield any personal benefit.
4. Nature and type of supervision – an employee-centered supervisory style displaying personal interest in the subordinate’s performance and welfare, providing regular feedback and trying to solve his problems at work, encouraging participation in decision-making and problem-solving are likely to lead to higher job satisfaction.
5. Colleagues – being surrounded by friendly and supportive team members help contribute to improve the work environment and make the job more enjoyable. On the contrary, if colleagues are difficult to get along with, it might have a negative impact on job satisfaction. (Luthans, F, 1998).
In Mauritius, any reform in the Civil Service is bound to fail if it overlooks vital issues such as employee job satisfaction. The Human Resource Development Council (HRDC) seems to be best placed to take the lead in researching factors which promote and those which inhibit job satisfaction and come forward with an action plan for implementation in both public and private organisations, in addition to its endeavour in favour of the introduction of the 24/7 concept.
References
1. Flippo, E.B (1976). Personnel Management. 4th ed. Auckland: McGraw-Hill.
2. Locke, E.A (1976). The Nature and cause of job satisfaction. In Handbook of Industrial and Organisational Psychology. edited by M.D.Dunnett. Chicago: Rand McNally.
3. Luthans,F (1998). Organizational Behavior. 8th ed. Boston,MA: McGraw-Hill.
Ibrahim Ramjaun
