Newsgroups: bit.listserv.pacs-l
Date:         Mon, 14 Sep 1992 11:18:33 CDT
Comments:     Resent-From: Public-Access Computer Systems Forum
              <LIBPACS@UHUPVM1>
From:         Public-Access Computer Systems Forum <LIBPACS@UHUPVM1.BITNET>

----------------------------Original message----------------------------
FROM: AXPBBGS --UICVMC

 From: Bernie Sloan
 Subject: Libraries & Networked Info

 I was glad to see Bill Arms' clarification of the paraphrased state-
 ment attributed to him by the Chronicle. It makes a lot more sense
 now!

 I think Bill may be on target when he compares the situation (li-
 braries and their relationships with networked resources) with the
 "tensions between personal computers, departmental computing, and
 computing centers that universities saw during the 1980s". Having
 worked for a university computing office during the bulk of the
 1980s, I do see the similarities.

 As Bill notes, as electronic information resources become more de-
 centralized, the development and control of these resources also
 become more decentralized, allowing the development of information
 services independent of the library. He also adds that "coordination
 amongst the various groups is informal and pragmatic rather than
 centrally directed". It could be that what is going to be required in
 the future is not so much centralized control, but some person or
 office charged with facilitating or coordinating the growing web of
 decentralized resources. I think we're seeing a tendency towards that
 in academic libraries with the growing trend toward placing both the
 library and the computing center under the "information services"
 organizational umbrella. But even if the library and computing center
 are controlled by the same information "czar", that person still won't
 control the increasing number of resources produced by other departments
 within the university, and the dizzying array of resources becoming
 available externally (via the Internet, etc.).

 From personal experience, I've seen what can happen when the right
 people play the role of facilitator. Within the 12 year history of the
 ILLINET Online network, I've seen many examples of someone playing the
 role of catalyst or facilitator and making things happen, even though
 they have no direct control or authority over the agencies that are
 actually responsible for implementing what needs to be done. This facili-
 tator role will become more prevalent at individual institutions as
 they begin to deal more and more with electronic information resources.

 While it's going to be important to have someone to play the facilitator
 or catalyst, it will probably be difficult to try to formally establish
 such a role within an institution. The difficulty comes from the fact
 that this role is quite often "filled" informally. The varying personal
 and organizational dynamics within different institutions make for
 varying "requirements" for the facilitator role. There will be no
 one-size-fits-all facilitator.

 As Bill Arms notes in the concluding paragraph of his posting, "if my
 guess is correct, the role of libraries will be different at every
 university". And we can see signs of this already. In some institutions
 the library is taking a backseat in the development of electronic re-
 sources. In other institutions the library director has been moved
 into the role of "chief information officer" for the institution.

 To quote Bill Arms one more time: "Any other guesses?"

 Bernie Sloan, Director
 Illinois Library Computer Systems Office
Comments: Gated by NETNEWS@AUVM.AMERICAN.EDU