Page 79 - DLIS104_MANAGEMENT OF LIBRARIES AND INFORMATION CENTRES

Management of Libraries and Information Centres

Notes

Notes The Gateway guides users in applying search strategy concepts and critical thinking
to their information seeking.
Under development since 1987, The Gateway to Information has been continuously evaluated by
users; revisions have been made based on the results of more than 7,000 evaluations. The Gateway
is available on most public terminals in the OSU library system. It will soon be accessible via the
Internet and will integrate the sources of the Internet into its narrative. The information explosion
has hastened the need for development of expert systems like this. The unthinkable has become a
reality. Libraries are being challenged as not relevant or necessary to the future of information.
Current news and library literature specifically are replete with information and questions about the
future of libraries.

Did u know? There has even been some speculation that the physical library may continue
to exist but only as a sort of dinosaur museum.
If libraries do have a future, in what direction does it lie? Does library user education have a place
in that future? Technology, economic factors, and changes in the educational system are major
factors in what is being termed a “revolution” in libraries. One prediction about the future of
libraries is that budget cuts will force the elimination of such “new” programs as library user
education. In reality, the direction of information and libraries points to more emphasis on library
user education. Also, when examined in the light of history, library user education is not a new
service but a very old service predating even reference service.
How the libraries and librarians responded to the prediction of the death of libraries? In many
ways their response has been impressive. In a steady stream of progress, libraries have developed
and expanded programs to meet the changing needs of library users. Prominent among these is
the library user education program. This is an examination of that steady progress and the move
by librarians to prepare users for the continuing expansion of information. The Gateway to
Information, developed at The Ohio State University Libraries, is described as one example of how
libraries and librarians are responding to the demands of the future.

Task To put library user education in perspective requires a look at its past and present
status. Is library user education an important activity? What programs and problems
can be traced through its history? What are the content, teaching methods, evaluation
studies, and problems of current programs? What has been the impact of these
programs? What does the future hold for library user education? How are the factors
of change affecting libraries and library user education? How can librarians respond
to these changes?

Caution To explore these issues, a definition and outline of the objectives of library user
education is needed.

Definition of Library User Education

Broadly defined, library user education teaches users how to make the most effective use of the
library system. At OSU, user education encompasses all activity undertaken to help students become
efficient users of information i.e., how to identify the information need and then how to find,
evaluate, and select the best information to meet that need. Activities to achieve that goal include
orientation sessions, workshops, handouts, and course-related and course-integrated instruction.

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