Title of focus article: The Internet of Things serving libraries.
This blog post comments on the exciting opportunities made possible to libraries rising from the phenomena of Internet of things (IoT) technology. The author shares the successful implementation of IoT-automated centralised management system into the Russian State Library for Young Adults’ (RSLYA) building infrastructure. Plans of introducing ‘smart bookshelves’ with RFID (radio frequency identification), an automatic book sorter, central control of lights and technical equipment for events and programmes and even a remote -controlled vending machine are well underway.
The marvels of IoT use around the globe, primarily focussing on library automatization using robots and drones is discussed. While the huge potential of offering library users’ optimal experience through amazing technological advances, the author stresses on the need to retain the human aspect: the atmosphere of knowledge, guidance, comfort, help, mutual understanding and collaboration. Libraries function best via connecting through genuine service and not hi-tech machinery.
As a teacher librarian, the possible integration of IoT-facilitated equipment into my school library could be part of a process of creating a future-ready library. Nevertheless, a robust infrastructure would have its underpinnings of providing equitable digital access to our students and not surmounting to creating an extravagant outlook and incurring unnecessary expenditure. Preparing students to face a digital and technology-driven world with confidence is fundamental. Using innovative technologies to improve students’ learning by providing opportunities at connecting students to explore, share, create knowledge with their peers in their own classroom and around the world becomes an integral part of teacher librarians’ job scope (Australian School Library Association, 2013, p.7). School libraries must become flexible, dynamic, high tech learning centres that are the hub of the learning environment of the school.
For teacher librarians, the integration of IoT technology to expand beyond assisting building infrastructure and into its daily operations and service is an inevitable happening. A smart library system using IoT can help to do complete monitoring and control functionalities of the library environment without library staff (Holland, 2020, p.19). A fear on the irrelevance or reduction of library staff becomes a matter of concern.
Moreover, with privacy and security of the internet on everyone’s mind these days and reports of massive hacks, teacher librarians must guarantee library users of trust and reliability in the services they provide. They must continue to remain the critical bond between the provider and consumer. Teacher librarians must actively engage in conversations (Massis, 2016, p.291) with the school community for continual improvement of its services and facilitate transmission of necessary information to their learners. Connectivity arising from the human touch is most valuable.
Word count: 427 words
References:
Australian School Library Association (2013). Future learning and school libraires. https://asla.org.au/resources/Documents/Website%20Documents/Resources/2013-ASLA-futures-paper.pdf
Holland, B. (2020). Emerging Technology and Today’s Libraries. In Holland, B. (Eds.), Emerging Trends and Impacts of the Internet of Things in Libraries (pp. 1-33). IGI Global. http://doi:10.4018/978-1-7998-4742-7.ch001
Massis, B. (2016). The internet of things and its impact on the library. New Library World, 117(3), 289-292. http://dx.doi.org.ezproxy.csu.edu.au/10.1108/NLW-12-2015-0093
Purnik, A. (2019). The Internet of Things serving libraries [Blog post]. https://www.ifla.org/node/92356