Impact of Emerging Trends and Technologies on Academic Librarianship

Abstract

Libraries are so valuable that they attract voracious new competition with every technological advance. The Emerging trends and technologies in the late 1990s have completely changed ways of accessing, collecting, organizing and searching multi format information in library setting. In this modern information society the academic library has been an indispensable academic department in the promotion of excellence in teaching and learning in the networked academic learning environment. The Internet has become the primary platform for setting up various library and information sources and services. The advancement of emerging technologies provides libraries with innovative ways of initializing creative services in cyberspace. Technology provides the chance for librarians to innovate, boost quality, measure success, and align services with the priorities of their organizations. With technology, librarians can reintroduce themselves as visible, valuable, and essential partners in achieving common goals. This is especially important in the context of today's tight funding climate and the never-ending struggle to advocate for and secure necessary funding and support for libraries. The results of ICT and the digital revolution call for developing new competencies and skills as well as a new set of proficiencies. New IT applications reduce the need for traditional manual processing in libraries, digital and electronic resources change library operations, processes, and workflows, including skills and competencies required for librarians and support staff. All these changes cause library organization and management changing. Although not by any means a new issue, the emerging trends and technologies were in all its levels will continue to have an impact on the development of the academic library. Academic libraries will need to examine their own status with these emerging technologies. These technologies and trends impact on individual or institutional level will continue to shape the development of the academic library. New technology has provided great opportunities for delivery of services within consortia. More and more libraries must unite, which of course requires a change in the attitudes, practices and policies to get the maximum benefit. Libraries can build on existing strong consortia and partnership networks. Overall, emerging trends for academic libraries reflect the growing importance for collaboration.