Hello readers,
As we know, the advancement of the Web and the proliferation of electronic information, technology, and its advantages—convenience, cost, timeliness—present an appealing future. So the question is, why would libraries continue to stock their shelves with printed texts, and why should their parent institutions provide space or funding for such acquisitions? The answer is surprisingly complex, but it begins with the mission to meet the current and future user needs of scholars and academicians. Not only does print still dominate in scholarly publication, but the rapidly changing technological environment contains inherent future risks for researchers and academic libraries.
The value of print
Before we understand the need and value and identification of quality e-resources, it’s quite essential to know the value of print. The core purpose of an academic library is to serve the needs not only of today’s users but also tomorrow’s. It follows that the library must have an enduring collection of resources that is accessible and meaningful to both current and future
scholars.
For example, as the world has seen with radio after television’s debut, the creation of a new medium does not necessarily invalidate the former ones. Print is a time-tested format that seems to continue to fulfill promises that technology has yet to deliver but it should be accepted that e-resources, their use, and their reach to the quality resources play a significant role in the era of information.
Internet resources
A common fallacy is that all information is available on the Internet, whether
free or through a fee-based service. Despite tremendous strides in electronic
publishing and in digitization technologies, the majority of the world’s published
materials remain in physical or in print formats only. Since the invention of the Gutenberg press, the publishing world has produced worth of materials, and recent efforts to digitize scholarly historical publications have covered only a small proportion of these.
Materials in Electronic Format Are Not Always Free
Many times it happens that even if scholars go for internet resources, a library, even the most well-endowed one, has a finite budget, and its resources must be judiciously allocated among a range of interests and needs. Users who do not directly authorize purchases frequently overlook the cost component involved in selecting a library resource. Thus, a resource appears “free” to end-users. Such users are often unaware of any restriction to the resource until they attempt direct remote access and are prompted for a subscription or something.
For an academic library, though, in which patrons require authoritative data to support arguments, instruction, or scholarship, the greatest strength of the Internet also becomes one of its dominant liabilities. Anyone with a computer and the necessary rights to a Web server can post or alter data. This greatly increases accessibility and availability of information on a limitless range of topics, but it also means that anyone with such access can edit documents and disseminate false information, actions that cannot necessarily be detected by the user. There is no guarantee of the poster’s authority or of the authenticity of a document. Some assurance and security derive from a reputable site or designated domain, but even in such cases, the review process for documents posted is not always apparent or consistent. Unlike most printed resources (except vanity publications), many free online ones are not routinely reviewed, edited, or checked for accuracy before or after publication. Even fee-based e-resources may inaccurately report containing information, from titles or dates included to currency.
It is important to evaluate Internet resources critically, as not everything you read online is reliable and true. Anyone can create a website, which means many websites lack the quality controls (editing and fact-checking) that are used in publishing other types of resources (scholarly journals).
Thank you.
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