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Unit 12: Online Information Services

However, many libraries face challenges in developing effective websites. In the UK administrative
procedure means that library websites are contained within the domain of the local authorities that Notes
manage them. It has been argued that this compromises the identity of the library and makes it less
accessible to its users. Cost is also a considerable factor in the development of effective online libraries.
There is also potential for libraries to make their services more accessible through search engines by
making the contents of their catalogues freely searchable. This would assist libraries because results
about library holdings would be positioned alongside content from relevant commercial sites,
presenting users with the option of borrowing books on their topic of interest instead of purchasing.
Library scholars have also acknowledged that people often prefer to access library catalogues using
a familiar search engine interface.
Some specialised search engines such as Google Scholar offer libraries a way to facilitate searching
for academic resources such as journal articles and research papers. This presents the user with a
wider array of resources and establishes a pseudo-network between libraries in dispersed locations.
However, the process of improving the accessibility of libraries through search engines has been
hampered by proprietary issues over ownership of database records. The Guardian reported on
this in 2009, suggesting the necessity for new business models to develop in the library world to
harness the full potential of search engines.

Search engines facilitate book lending by providing access to freely available digital
book excerpts. This facilitates information seeking by allowing people to preview books
and get clear understanding of the subject matter. If they identify an item of interest in
this way, their local library may be able to provide a copy, either in a physical or digital
format. Libraries would benefit more from this development if the proprietary issues
discussed above are resolved. This would allow existing resources such as abstracts,
reviews and recommendations that are available on sites such as LibraryThing and
Amazon to be linked into items in local library catalogues.

Opportunities for New Library Services

Digitised copies could provide a useful alternative to old or damaged books.
Libraries have opportunities to develop new services and improve library provision using internet
search engines. The internet has opened up and transformed the information environment, providing
rapid access to high-level knowledge.
This has changed the way that people search for information and libraries are adapting by providing
computers and internet access. This development has been particularly positive for libraries in
attracting younger users. There are a widerange of reasons why young people often move away
from libraries including peer-pressure and social concerns, and the fact that other leisure interests
compete with reading for young people’s time and attention. However, by providing internet access,
libraries are able to offer youth an opportunity to further research their interests such as music,
television and sport.
Libraries also have an opportunity to emulate the tools and methods used by internet search engines
to attract users. By providing user-friendly interfaces with high speed access to deliver relevant and
reliable content, libraries are able to keep up with technological developments and remain relevant
to their users. Libraries can take on the ‘look-and-feel’ of internet search engines but still retain
their traditional services. Library scientists have recognised these opportunities to improve their
services and complement existing ways to retrieve information.
Projects such as Google Books potentially offer significant new opportunities for libraries. The
digitisation of vast numbers of books, particularly those that are out-of-print, has enabled libraries

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