Competency H
Technology
Technology
Demonstrate proficiency in identifying, using, and evaluating current and emerging information and communication technologies.
Introduction
Technology provides both opportunities and challenges for information professionals. The benefits are numerous and substantial. Technology enables librarians to build systems that make it easier than it’s ever been to store and organize materials and for patrons to find and access information, wherever the user might be. It connects information professionals to patrons and to each other almost instantly over any distance. It allows for preservation of materials, or at least their digital artifacts, and in the case of rare or fragile materials, it allows for access that might otherwise be prohibitively damaging or impractical.
The challenges technology poses are significant as well. Both hardware, such as scanning equipment and 3D printers, and software can be expensive to purchase. As technology advances, information organizations must either pay to upgrade or replace hardware and software, or make do with outdated technology that might not be compatible with systems and programs used in their own or other institutions. Many software programs now require monthly or annual subscriptions, so information organizations often no longer even have the option of sticking with older software to save money. The rapid pace of technological advancement also means information professionals must always be learning new hardware and software, which can sometimes involve costly training.
Despite the challenges, technology is indispensable to information organizations. Competency H tells me that as an information professional I must be able to research and decide which types of technology and which specific products are best for my institution’s particular needs, and to be able to use that technology myself and to assist patrons in learning and using it.
Identifying Tools
The cost involved in purchasing new hardware and software, plus the time it can take to learn to use it and to train others on it, make it difficult for most information organizations to upgrade their technology regularly. It is therefore critical that any information professional involved in purchasing decisions put care and effort into researching available technologies and comparing options for solutions against one another.
The first step is defining a problem that needs solving or a need that requires addressing. This might involve employees, such as the need to improve their communication or productivity, or it might be related to patrons, such as improving access. Only once the information professional understands the nature of the problem can they then identify the type of technology that can best solve it.
Identifying the right technology for a particular problem means doing research. Information professionals should read up on the latest technology trends in the industry and beyond and be able to think creatively about how to potentially use different hardware and software to tackle different challenges.
One way they can do this is by looking to other institutions to identify new technologies or new ways of applying existing technologies. For example, Hedrick et al. (2020) stressed “the importance of improved methods and practices for digitization” (p. 249) of natural history collections (NHCs) specimens, and proposed a “two-pronged vision for digitization, which we term Digitization 1.0 and Digitization 2.0” (p. 243). Succinctly put, Digitization 1.0 is the effort to digitize physical specimens, while Digitization 2.0 involves creating additional data and metadata from the digital assets generated in Digitization 1.0, preferably with the help of machine learning and automation. If NHCs are successful in implementing machine learning and automation in Digitization 2.0, this could well have applications in other collections and information organizations.
Evaluating Tools
Once the information professional has identified the type of hardware or software that fits their needs, they can compare the different products available within that category. They should establish criteria against which to evaluate each offering, guided by how they intend to use the technology to solve their problem. Cost is one of the most obvious criteria, but even this can be difficult to compare. For example, a subscription-based software program might be cheaper over the short term and thus be better for a fixed-period project, while a program the information organization can buy outright might be cheaper if the intent is to use it long-term.
Information professionals should also evaluate technology by how easy it is to learn and use. A piece of hardware or a software program that is too complex will not be used, at least not without potentially lengthy and/or expensive training. This is true for both staff and patrons, but in the case of the latter, it can be particularly burdensome to keep having to train new patrons. Implicit in this evaluation is the need to have deep knowledge of who the audience for the technology is, what types of tools they prefer to use, how they prefer to use them, and what their capacity and tolerance are for learning new technologies.
Other factors to consider when evaluating technology and tools include, but are not limited to, its set of features, available technical/customer support, compatibility with other tools and systems, and frequency of updates. When the information professional has assessed all of these criteria and the evaluation is complete, they can make an informed decision as to whether it is worth purchasing the tool for their institution.
Using Tools
While the evaluation might identify the best tool for a particular user group, my coursework showed me that I must then become adept at the tool so that I might both use it effectively myself and explain and teach it to others.
The list of types of tools an information professional must show proficiency in is a long one. It includes content management systems, library management systems, databases, information retrieval systems, scanners, and increasingly, makerspace hardware such as 3D printers, just to name a few. In my coursework I had to use many different tools to design and build services for patrons. Some of these projects required several different types of tools, such as graphics tools for creating and manipulating images, layout tools for creating assets that contained those images, and recording and editing software to use those assets in a demonstration or tutorial.
A pair of class projects required me to build LibGuides, which is a common discovery platform in libraries and one that a future role could well call upon me to use for creating user guides. I also learned to use a wide variety of content platforms for blogs, presentations, and videos, such as Wordpress, Google Sites, Prezi, and Vimeo. Collaboration tools I worked in include Google Docs, Zoom, San José State University’s Canvas platform, Slack, and Sharepoint. On the more technical side, I built databases in ContentDM and WebData Pro, and worked in a Cortex-based digital asset management (DAM) system for my internship.
While many of these sites and programs have overlapping purposes and functionality, each also has its own interface, design, options, tools, etc. I thus learned the importance of spending time with a tool and taking advantage of documentation, user forums, FAQs, tutorial videos, and other resources to use the technology optimally and to produce the best product or service for the intended audience.
Evidence
Evidence 1: INFO 282 Library Management: Project Management – Project Management Software Evaluation
In this assignment I demonstrate my ability to evaluate a particular software product under consideration for purchase at a library. In this case, it’s Workfront project management software by the company of the same name. I assess the software against several criteria including features, options, compatibility with other software, and price, with information found largely on Workfront’s website.
To assess vendor reputation and ease of use, I had to do research beyond the company’s website, referring to tech industry resources such as the software search and review website Capterra, and PC Magazine’s review section. These sites were also useful in comparing Workfront to other project management products.
This exercise using a real product was an excellent opportunity to conduct an actual evaluation of the kind I could well have to perform in a future information profession role. This includes the decisions I made in the assignment’s conclusion as to which type of projects and library settings I would and would not recommend the product for.
Evidence 2: INFO 287 Seminar in Information Science: Digital Libraries – Library Virtual Tour
This video is a virtual tour introducing community members to a fictional library and the services it offers. The video tour takes viewers through the library room by room via a floor plan I created myself, taking inspiration from several actual library layouts. I present each room using images or video clips I borrowed (and credit) from various real-life libraries.
This video shows my ability to learn and use a variety of desktop and online software programs to deliver a service for patrons. I drafted the floor plan for the first floor of the library in the web-based app SmartDraw. I did not finish the floor plan before my SmartDraw trial period ended, so I created the second-floor layout in Affinity Photo. I then planned out the video by writing a script in Microsoft Word and hand-sketching out a storyboard for scene-by-scene shots.
Next, I incorporated the floor plans and other still images into a presentation in Prezi. I recorded the presentation click-through using Snagit, and then I imported that video into HD Movie Maker Pro where I added other video clips, voiceover, captions, and background music. Finally, I uploaded the video to the newly created Infodale Public Library channel on YouTube.
Evidence 3: INFO 287 Seminar in Information Science: Library Services in the Digital Age – Timeline, Infographic, and Data Visualization Map
This trio of projects for my course on Library Services in the Digital Age shows my proficiency with different types of web-based applications and my ability to use technology to create compelling and educational content for patrons.
For the timeline, I used the free TimelineJS app. The app itself was easy to learn and use, especially embedding photos and videos, but it has some limitations that might make it challenging for some users. For one, it requires formatting the content in Google Sheets, so one must be familiar with or learn that program. The user having to host the timeline HTML page on their own server is another limitation, as is having to link to rather than being able to upload media. Lastly, TimelineJS does not offer easy customization. For example, I had to enter some HTML coding to drop the references down to their own lines and decrease the font size.
I chose Infogr.am for the infographic project because of the app’s ability to include maps, and the two in this infographic visualize the birthplaces of MLB players using data from a table on BaseballAlmanac.com that I reformatted in Excel. This infographic allows the user to sort the data in the tables and mouse over and zoom in on the maps. One of the main limitations of Infogr.am’s map feature is that it restricts the creator to using their sample data. This meant, for instance, I couldn’t separate out England, Scotland, and Wales as countries, but instead I had to leave them lumped together as the UK. As with many apps, there is a paid version of Infogr.am that offers more features—for example, the user has many more icons to choose from in the paid version compared to the free version.
I built my data visualization project in Tableau, another free app. I went to the UN Data site and downloaded the CSV file for tourist/visitor arrivals and tourism expenditure. I did some manipulation in Excel not only to make sure the country names aligned with Tableau’s expectations, but also to limit the data to just 2017 (the latest year available) and just tourist arrivals for each country. Like TimelineJS and most other free apps, this program had some limitations I would not expect to find in a for-purchase program. For example, I could not customize the low end of the color gradient. When I customized the high end, it defaulted the low end to white, so that there was no discernible difference in color between the countries on the very low end of the scale and those for which there was no data at all. As this would provide a poor user experience, I opted to use a pre-set color gradient rather than customizing it.
Conclusion
Technology has become such an integral and ingrained part of information organizations that both staff and patrons might take it for granted. However, both groups of users will notice when a tool does not work correctly, is too hard to use, or doesn’t serve its purpose. It is the information professional’s job to make sure this situation occurs as infrequently as possible. They must put in the effort to identify the best technology for the problem the institution is trying to solve or the need that must be addressed, then evaluate the options according to meaningful criteria. They must also learn the technology themselves so they can use it effectively and train others to do the same.
References
Hedrick, B. P., Heberling, J. M., Meineke, E. K., Turner, K. G., Grassa, C. J., Park, D. S., Kennedy, J., Clarke, J. A., Cook, J. A., Blackburn, D. C., Edwards, S. V., & Davis, C. C. (2020). Digitization and the future of natural history collections. Bioscience, 70(3), 243–251. https://doi.org/10.1093/biosci/biz163