subject: Modernizing International Library Services [print this page] Todays information driven world population is highly dependent on getting the research they need accurately and fast. Students, media people, academics all operate on an international environment when it comes to information research and data management. Therefore, a good international library service in Canada and an international library service in US is one that facilitates ease of access of their books, journals, and other references, such as the ASTM book of standards via generic search engines with simple, user-friendly interfaces and features an interactive ordering and payment system as well.
We are now in the age of convenience and advance means of communication and spreading of information. Our libraries must then also extend their physical locations and services beyond the usual university and office grounds to the online communities of researchers, students and scholars in order to accommodate all needs of information and date gathering. Libraries must modernize their services and look into not only local, but also regional and even worldwide scope of their services, catalogues, and references.
Libraries worldwide need to make major policy changes in order to create operative delivery services and a collaborative environment that will attract the evolving generation of users and place the modern library in the middle of the information web.
It is an undeniable fact that the Internet has taken over the world of information research and data gathering. It had made it so easy to read about things and get the answers we need. The question is how does the traditional library get into the World Wide Web? With the ubiquitous use of search engines, questions are posed on whether library catalogues and portals are needed, and if needed what is their role? Where do they add value?
The main role for library catalogues and portals will be to connect users with important resources, such as access to the ASTM standards book. Having the ASTM book of standards online and other useful, relevant references and books readily available to users online will absolutely revolutionize the way we do research and share information. To play this role, the catalogues must be readily accessible from the points that are most widely used, i.e. search engines and sites with bibliographic data such as bookshops and encyclopedias.
Availability and exposure of library catalogues, books, references and other relevant information on the web in general used to be limited to simple URLs or at best, a simple search bar in a parent organization web page. Libraries should realize that this set-up is no longer ideal; it is important that users can access libraries catalogues from items already found without having to search again for them. With specific entry, users are not only reminded of availability in libraries, they are offered associated reference and delivery services and can then take the opportunity to search and browse further.
Overall, there is still a lot of study and technological issues that need to be addressed in order to ultimately put modernize library services. However, with the advancements we have seen over the years, we can safely say that we will certainly get to achieve our goals.
