Less is more nowadays- LETS DO E_BOOKS :-)

As someone who is working in a public library I have always thought that is very impractical to venture into E-Books, little did I know that its the most practical and most convenient practice. Nowadays public libraries have to also have stock for  tertiary students which is very impossible to purchase considering the tight budget constraints which public libraries are faced with.

When libraries purchase any particular title copy for tertiary students, it very impossible to get multiple copies as they are very pricey and also limiting to the number of students who can use the very same copy at the same copy @ once. Another thing is that libraries are also faced with overflowing shelves, but if they were to try going the E-Book route the problem of space which they faced with would be resolved.


With all this being said let first look is meant by E-Books, according to Wikipedia a E-Book is  an electronic version of a printed book which can be read on a computer or specifically designed handheld device.

Devices Used to Access E-books:

Desktop & Laptop Computers                

 

Digital Audio Players

 

E-readers

 

Handheld Mobile Devices

 Its time that public libraries got into the problem as this would really benefit not only the patrons but also us as sometimes its very difficult to get nice recreational reading material which are most likely available in e-books. The other disadvantage is libraries are spending a fortune and don't even own the content they're spending that fortune on. In many cases, if they stop paying the fees, they lose the content they bought, hence they need to work with suppliers, who will be able to guide and direct them into the right path........Until next time :-)

Open Access

On the 11/04/2017 after I left class I had so much going on my mind, as the Lecturer had touched on the most interesting topic....which is Open Access to information. What is meant by open access information is putting emphasizes  on providing free access to scholarly material. Students and researchers can not only consult them for free but can also download,copy,print and distribute them.

As I sat and listened to the lecturer I realized that there are so many definitions of open access but the intent is always the same, which is removing barriers and providing access to information for all with no bias or restrictions.

However there are challenges that hinder the progress of Open Access which raise questions about its feasibility, such as the quality of OA journals, regarding their economic sustainability and funding.

As a prospective researcher I listened tentatively, through all that there which there lecturer kept on dwelling on, and that which caught my attention was Green Open Access: which is a mode of publishing in non open access journal but also self archiving it in an Open Access Archive. Green OA publishing articles such as preprints that precede formally published versions, the advantage for end users is that preprints maybe almost enough version of final formally published article and would suffice for their reference without having to pay heavy prices to acquire or access the published version (Bjork et al. 2008).

Like any student it has always been very frustrating to get any articles as there always seemed to be restrictions  to those that we of use to our research, but with universities taking up the pledge to sign the Berlin declaration  on  open access of which the UWC has also signed.  Have a look at UWC Signs Berlin Declaration . To be quiet honest this has also helped me put more informative discussions on my libguide project.

Mobile Literacy

In the hustle and bustle of modern life, there are so many important elements of owning a smartphone. You might find yourself busy with a hectic schedule, and there are certain elements of your life that will need you to sort out  and organize

As i sat In class there was so mach going on my mind, like any born free technology has  become an integral part of my daily routines and it has made my life so much  easier as certain things which require my attention can be done just by a "Click of a button". Of which one of those things is being able to access the library and its resources by  not having to physically go to the library, as most of my time is spent at work. Now any information that I may require via websites and mobile devices. 



This goes to show  how libraries have transformed in quest of providing and delivering services to library users. Library 2.0 has provided libraries with tools that have made library spaces interactive, collaborative which have been driven by community needs. However the real advantage for Library 2.0  can be achieved by adding advanced functionality and features directly to the content, this is according to Abram, 2005. More interestingly its believed that library schools curriculum lack advancement hence they need to introduce Web 2.0 courses into their curriculum, which will equip LIS professionals with skills and competencies that will be necessary to design dynamic and modern user orientated services.   




 Information just so useful available just by click a button .........

 QR Codes, here is useful a link which I thought it might be useful to us all🐵 Lets all start scanning!!

Me attending this class has made me realize how much work our public libraries librarians still need as we far from being competent when it comes to technology .........So be with me as I travel this journey of learning 📚📚📚📚