Smart Library and its Characteristics
by Muhammad Yousuf Ali
A smart library (SL) is an information centre with networks of many libraries and their services in a larger informational ecosystem around the globe. Smartness means that the development of new library e-tools and services are measured on the assessment of real resources and users. In this article three main point related to smart library discussed.
- What is smart Library
- What are the Characteristics of Smart Library?
What is Smart Library?
Smart Library can be defined as under
“Smart library is a library provided services, which are interactive, innovative, informative, actual, changing and international” (Shah & Bano, 2020). The concept of a smart library is unattainable without the advancements in computer technology, the developing and the changing digital storage, and the human-computer interaction ((Gul, & Bano, 2019).
What are the Characteristics of Smart Libraries?
There are four characteristics of Smartness explains (Schöpfel, 2018) as under
- Smart services
- Smart Users
- Smart Governess
- Smart Places
1. Smart Services
Smart libraries present technological innovation as smart services, such as RFID, mobile and wireless access, remote assistance, semantic web, and artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things, machine translation, voice and image recognition, natural language processing, augmented reality for delivering new experiences in enjoying cultural heritage.
2. Smart Users
Smart libraries are made for and with smart users. In the specific environment of libraries, we can translate this concept of smart users as follows, on two levels:
a. Smart community: The concept of smart user does not only include the smart citizen, user of SL services, but also the staff of the library, their skills, and job development. The library staff is part of the smart people, for instance, when it comes to the production and analysis of information and data (data librarian) or to the control of discovery tools.
b. Creation of Knowledge/Information:
Smart users also create knowledge and information of users and librarian and library staff as well. The library user is a producer of knowledge or co-producer alongside other users and/or the staff. Creation, enrichment, and sharing of information and knowledge are other terms that describe the vision of the smart library user’s role and action.
3. Smart Governess
The third characteristics of the smart library is institutional and political. At the heart of smart governance is the community, which understands the potential of information technology for the development of the library, as a means of reinvesting libraries for a new ecosystem. “Institutional preparation and community governance are essential to the success of smart community cities”. (Nam & Pardo, 2011).
Smart Governess includes all library features that correspond to the concept of “smart governance” in the city, which encapsulate, for instance, collaboration, cooperation, partnership, citizen engagement, and participation.
4. Smart Places
The forth characteristics refers to the library physical shape and atmosphere. In a general manner, this dimension can be described as “smart environment” and environmental monitoring. In fact, we can distinguish two different aspects:
The concept of the green library is also described from the library ecosystem. It covers, for instance, compliance with sustainable building rating systems, waste management, the attractiveness of natural conditions, lack of pollution, sustainable management of resources, etc. One part is sustainable architecture, engineering environment.
How to Cite this Article :
M.Y. Ali (05 Dec 2022). Smart Library and its Characteristics.https://profileusuf.wordpress.com/smart-library/
References
Baryshev, R. A., & Babina, O. I. (2016). Smart library concept in Siberian federal university. International journal of applied and fundamental research, (1), 16-16.
Gul, S., & Bano, S. (2019). Smart libraries: an emerging and innovative technological habitat of 21st century. The Electronic Library, 37(5), 764–783. doi:10.1108/el-02-2019-0052
Nam, T., & Pardo, T. A. (2011, June). Conceptualizing smart city with dimensions of technology, people, and institutions. In Proceedings of the 12th annual international digital government research conference: digital government innovation in challenging times (pp. 282-291).
Schöpfel, J. (2018). Smart libraries. Infrastructures, 3(4), 43.
Shah, A., & Bano, R. (2020). Smart Library: Need of 21 st Century. Library of Progress-Library Science, Information Technology & Computer, 40(1).
Research Knowledge and Information 