Impact of New Technology on Libraries" (Report form China)

[Wilfred [Bill] Drew]

Hans-Christoph Hobohm wrote:
> 
> Perhaps some of you might be interested to read what was discussed=20
> in one of the sessions at the IFLA conference in Beijing=20
> (sorry for cross-posting)
> 
>         =84Impact of New Technology on Libraries"=20
> 
> This was the title of a session organised by the Social Science=20
> Libraries section of IFLA at the 62nd General Conference of=20
> IFLA in Beijing 25-31/08/96.
> 
> It dealt with a range of questions which were found as=20
> topics in many contributions at the Beijing conference. Four=20
> colleagues from developed countries (Ching-Chih Chen, USA;=20
> Barbara Graham, USA; Edna Reid, Singapore; Diann Rusch-Feja,=20
> Germany) and two lecturers from China (Lu Benfu and Zhou Junlan)=20
> stressed the consequences of the global digital library on=20
> working procedures in libraries and the new role of the=20
> librarians. They drew the conclusion that the librarian at=20
> the turn of the century will become the digitalisation specialist=20
> and that he will later on play more and more the role of=20
> the structurer and specialised selector in the information jungle.
> 
> To be able to play these roles it is important that the=20
> librarian takes much more vigorously and =84pro-actively" part in=20
> the current development. His expertise should have a=20
> considerable impact on the re-structuring of the world of=20
> information. Because of its hot topic, this =84Open Session" was=20
> attended extraordinarily well. Thanks to simultaneous=20
> interpreting into six languages vivid discussions took place=20
> with the audience, for example, on the increasing gulf between=20
> countries with high-quality information technology and those=20
> without, or on the danger of becoming dependent of this=20
> technology.

Too bad there was no discussion on the role of librarians in providing
open access to information.  I guess that is to be expected when IFLA
meets in Mainland China.  Remember that China restricts internet access
and has also banned the use of TV satellight dishes.
--
Wilfred Drew (Call me "Bill") Serials/Reference/Systems Librarian
SUNY College of Ag. & Tech.;   P.O. Box 902;  Morrisville, NY 13408-0902
Internet: DREWWE at SNYMORVA.CS.SNYMOR.EDU
Phone: (315)684-6055 or 684-6060 Fax: (315)684-6115 
Homepage: http://www.snymor.edu/~drewwe/
Not Just Cows Homepage: http://www.snymor.edu/~drewwe/njc/
LibraryLinks: http://www.snymor.edu/pages/library/
--