Problems of Library Science
Many institutions and organizations require the services of a librarian in some capacity. Librarians may apply their knowledge of library science to a number of different problems that can be social, ethical, logistical, or economic in nature. Because library science is an interdisciplinary field, the specific issues dealt with by librarians are far ranging.
Other People Are Reading
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Librarianship
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While those who study library science find work in many different sectors, those who choose to become practicing librarians are the most visible to the general public. Working with members of the community who may have very different needs as well as a different level of knowledge can be a major challenge. In addition, managing the library building, securing funding for library operations, and acquiring new materials is an ongoing problem.
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Technology
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Many librarians, along with others who have studied library science, work extensively with technology. Digitizing paper documents is a major trend in library science. The effort and money needed to scan, copy and catalog existing library materials far exceeds the ability of most institutions. Another problem posed by technology relates to access by members of the community, as many libraries are training places for students or other citizens who wish to learn new computer skills. These individuals may not have access to this technology at home or elsewhere and may require remedial instruction from library technology experts.
Archiving
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Archiving is a more traditional problem of library science. Many institutions posses extensive collections, and keeping these materials stored in a safe and organized way is an ongoing process. The methods for storing archival materials, from paper manuscripts to rare books to digital files, are constantly evolving. Library science must keep up with these changes, both in terms of developing and implementing new methods.
Information Access
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Another major problem of library science is granting equal access to libraries and their collections to as many people as possible. While some libraries, such as those housed at private universities, may only be available to certain users, public libraries are open to everyone. Ensuring that library materials are available to people in different cultural and economic classes is an important ethical concern shared by many different fields within library science. This means ensuring that library locations are accessible by public transit or that hours of operation are convenient for library patrons who work during daytime hours.
Research
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For many graduates of library science programs who do not oversee a library's operations, the development of research methods is both a way to help the research being done by others and a way to find methods for improving existing libraries. As more and more research is done electronically, there is a substantial place within library science for new search tools and new ways of teaching these methods to library users and librarians alike. Understanding how to incorporate traditional research methods with these new techniques is another important aspect of the problems posed by library research.
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- Photo Credit "In the library" is Copyrighted by Flickr user: Sabby3000 ::travel mode:: be back soon! (Sabrina Mae) under the Creative Commons Attribution license.
