Lippincott (2021) describes the Fourth Industrial Revolution as “a societal shift powered not by steam or electricity, but by data, and characterized by a fusion of the physical and digital worlds” (p.5). This new revolution brings great potential for government and research libraries who are experts at organising, preserving, and providing access to vast amounts of data. The third industrial revolution saw the creation of massive amounts of data, which through the limitations of technology and visions of how it could be utilized, remained locked within information silos (Frederick, 2016). The fourth industrial revolution has brought about the rise of open-source data, linked data and the ‘internet of things’ which are slowly starting to break down the silos, releasing large volumes of data to be used in previously unintended ways.
Government and research libraries are already specialists in data. Emerging technologies like blockchain, artificial intelligence (AI), augmented reality (AR) and cloud computing provide the potential for them to craft services which better meet users’ needs, open up exciting opportunities for collaboration and engagement with other information organisations and guarantee the authenticity and provenance of the digital objects they may acquire (Msauki, 2021; Lippincott, 2021). In the Library 4.0 world, data is king, and those able to best recognise and utilise its potential will come out on top, and government and research libraries are well positioned to achieve this.
The digital age has seen a shift in the role information professionals play. We are no longer the guardians and gatekeepers of collections and information. Now we act as guides and facilitators, working towards the democratisation of information, so that everyone has the opportunity to access the information that they need to survive and thrive in this information society. Emerging technologies make this an exciting time to be an information professional as we find the best ways to use technologies like AI, robotics, and virtual reality to deliver services to our users. Advances in technology will impact the way we provide services to our communities, but the nature of the core services we provide will remain the same; services such as providing fair and equitable access to digital technologies, teaching literacies to all ages (whether digital, information, technology or print literacy), ensuring information is findable and useable, and offering people a safe place within the community. As information professionals we need to constantly keep an eye to the future for better ways to utilise our resources, while also remaining in the present and ensuring what we are doing now meets the needs of our communities. We need to harness the positives of this digital revolution and work towards shaping “a future that works for all of us by putting people first and empowering them” (Schwab, 2016).
Frederick, D. E. (2016). Libraries, data and the fourth industrial revolution (Data deluge column). Library Hi Tech News, 33(5), 9-12. https://doi.org/10.1108/LHTN-05-2016-0025
Lippincott, S. (2021). Mapping the current landscape of research library engagement with emerging technologies in research and learning. Association of Research Libraries. https://www.arl.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/2021.04.09-emerging-technologies-final-report.pdf
Msauki, G. (2021). Library 4.0 and sustainable development: Opportunities and challenges. In J. P. Chigwada & N. M. Nwaohiri (Eds.), Examining the Impact of Industry 4.0 on Academic Libraries.
Schwab. K. (2021, January). The fourth industrial revolution: What it means, how to respond. World Economic Forum. https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2016/01/the-fourth-industrial-revolution-what-it-means-and-how-to-respond/