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Information and Communication Technology Applications

to provide resources to their users in new ways. As well as expanding a library’s user base to a
Notes potentially global scale, this facilitates multiple access to books simultaneously.
Digitised copies of books can also serve as replacements for lost or damaged books and accessibility
for disabled users can be improved. Due to their holdings of valuable material, libraries are important
partners for search engines such as Google in realising the potential of such projects and have received
reciprocal benefits in cases where they have negotiated effectively.

Explain the opportunities for new library services.

12.3 Information Literacy and Internet Search Engines

Librarians have often been strong advocates of information literacy. CILIP, the Chartered Institute
of Library and Information Professionals in the UK, defines information literacy as “knowing when
and why you need information, where to find it, and how to evaluate, use and communicate it in an
ethical manner.” When utilising a search engine, this involves knowing how to utilise advanced
search features as well as select appropriate terms for a search. After results are returned it involves
having the ability to select, retrieve, and evaluate the information retrieved by search engines.
Due to the amount of information that is available for free on the internet, search engines carry
great potential for making people information rich and decoupling information poverty from
economic poverty. However, this is tempered by the amount of poor quality information that exists
on the internet. Many in the library profession feel that information literacy is vital if the full potential
of the internet is to be realised.
Library advocacy bodies such as CILIP have emphasised the role that libraries and librarians can
play in teaching the requisite skills in an environment where information comes in many forms and
media. In a 2004 Library Journal article, several library professionals identified the need to know
how to get the most out of technologies such as search engines if people are to find reliable and
pertinent information effectively.
Information literacy and training in the use of technology fits in with wider extant efforts by public
libraries to increase access to information. In accordance with this, CILIP and other library
professionals promote the benefits of teaching information literacy in relation to information
technology, especially in places such as colleges and universities where students often rely on internet
search engines to retrieve information to complete course work.

Libraries contribute to information literacy training in colleges and universities
by providing online instructions for good search strategies on library homepages
or in leaflets made available in the library. Librarians also run information literacy
classes to give people practical experience of using internet search engines.

Search Engine Optimisation (SEO)
Opportunities for libraries and librarians have also been identified in the emerging field of search
engine optimisation. Search engine optimisation involves improving the volume or quality of traffic
to a website without using commercial means such as purchasing keywords from search engine
providers.

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