ISSN: 0972-3978 Sustainable Library Librarian Special Seminar Volume: 26, Issue 1 & 2, January 2020 Department of Library and Information Science Jadavpur University, Kolkata 700 032 (NSSL -2020) Changing mode of library functions for it’s sustainability Dr Sudip Ranjan Hatua Assistant Professor Department of Library & Information Science Rabindra Bharati University Email: [email protected] Abstract : The Agenda for Sustainable Development Goal-2030 was adopted by the United Nations in 2015, which gives a blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet, now and into the future. They set strategies to improve health and education, reduce inequality, and economic growth in terms of the utility of environment and natural resources to preserve our oceans and forests for the future. They set 17 goals for that. IFLA and the UN believe that the library can play a major role to fulfil the target of SDG-2030. However, the question is with the changing ICT environment whether the libraries can sustain in the near future? This paper has provided a few specific changing modes of functions which may help libraries to become sustainable. Keyword : Sustainable Development Goal-2030, Query Catalogue, Sustainable library, Interpersonal relationship, Emotional Web 1. Introduction The ideas of ‘Sustainable Future’ consist of two terms “future’ and ‘sustainable’. The ‘future’ means will appear after present and according to Cambridge Dictionary the term ‘sustainable’ means ‘able to continue over the time’. We have developed in every aspect of our life by using science and technology. Then, why people are talking about ‘sustainable future’? Probably we are suspecting not able to keep maintaining the development we achieved at the same pace and probably we are threatening our own ability to enjoy the future. Global warming, scarcity of natural resources, pollution, natural calamities regularly are the basic causes for this suspicion of sustainability. The Brundtland Commission [ accessed on 15th January 2020 https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/ content/documents/5987our-common-future.pdf ] of UN defined this in the context of socio-economic development in terms of utility of environment and natural resources which emphasis to meet the requirement of the present without compromising the ability of the future generation to meet their own need. ‘Sustainability’ nowadays is one of the leading global issue popularly known as Agenda for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)-2030. They have set major 17 goals for sustainability. UN, as well as IFLA, considered that to achieve all the goals the library might have taken the major role. However, among all 17 goals, ‘Goal 4’ is directly related to the library. This goal states that ‘ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all’. [ United Nations Resolution adopted by the General Assembly on 25 September 2015 available at https://www.un.org/ga/search/ 11 National Seminar on Sustainable Library view_doc.asp?symbol=A/RES/70/1&Lang=E]. mode of services and providing lots of value-added Yes, this is very much true that to fulfil ‘sustainable services but still, it is under threat of sustainability. development’ we should keep continuing the life 3.1 Why? long learning. No institution except library can provide the opportunity for life long learning and In spite of the huge potentiality to take part in quality education. the development of society, it has given very less importance in all the sectors from the public 2 How the library can play the role of SDG? to academic, from academic to special libraries. It is well established and known that all the Why is such a thing happening? Why the learned libraries around the globe offer lots of products society, policymakers, Govt. officials, institutional and services to make illiterate to neo-literate, heads don’t realize the importance of the library? from literate to educated and continues for life We may identify a few factors for the threat of long learning. It becomes the backbone to every sustainability of libraries- community as well as the nation. They collect, • Hardly people know what the librarian actually preserve, disseminate and allow to access, culture means and what it does; Most of the people never and practice of universe of knowledge and promote see the background housekeeping operations of innovation, creativity and research for the benefits a library. They only see the people seating in of current and future generations. Thus helps to the front and just taking and giving books. Few achieve all SDG. users are sitting here and there (reading room) 3 The threat to the sustainability of libraries and spending time idle. They thought why this The question is whether library itself will be waste of money by investing huge amount for sustained to play an important role to achieve purchasing books while most of them are not SDG-2030 or in near future? Many people now- used. a-day think that libraries might have an important • Introduction of the Internet into our lives has asset or status symbol but practically technology brought the biggest threat to libraries; facts has made library services obsolete and the budget are true or false people never think but most allocations to the libraries make their argument of the people believe that every information undeniable. is available on Internet, specifically in Keeping the basic skeleton unchanged libraries Google. The new generation of users also have updated itself time to time and probably very much accustomed to googling and find the first sector which has adopted and exploits factual information to prepare there project, technologies maximum. Starting from OPAC assignment and never bother about whether to Web 5.0- Open, Linked and Intelligent Web that information is relevant and trustworthy or known as Emotional Web, from digital resource not. management to cloud computing, wherever or • People hardly believe that a librarian can whatever we jump, we adopt, we provide services provide the better document or can compile but at the end of the day we found libraries are documents than any others person or media; one of the most neglected sectors around the Not only common people but also many world. Libraries have its potential that has been researchers and the serious reader also have developed and sustained for many years based very little ideas about specialized service and on printing and other collections and services. information products like abstracting, indexing Libraries have adopted technology and created databases. Few of them might know about a digital environment and communication to its enterprise databases. The authority feels that users. Libraries have remarkably changed its’ there is no role of librarian except negotiation 12 Changing mode of library functions for it’s sustainability with the publishers (of ProQuest, wos, oup, that is the ‘change’ and that will sustain. Now we Willey, Thomson etc). If we have money have a smartphone, we have digital information then all required journal or e-book and other and have a network. We can practically hold, databases can be subscribed with all searching, access, retrieve all the library and their collection, reading and full-text download facilities. Then information and can get, read, download, print any why the library? document (free or by giving nominal price) in any • People like to have them around and are angry form available in the world in our finger tip. Why if they close. But as for using them, there is so should we go to the library? little time these days. This is all extracts about Being a library professional we should think it public libraries. There is no advocacy in this seriously. The way we see in the library fifty years matter from common people. Only a few old back should not be the same today. So to survive people and library professionals are shouting and make library sustainable we should change silently for public libraries. Many public the mode of library operations and services. libraries either closed or partially functional with very less number of users and society have • US, UK and many other countries switched the no time to look after it. Why the Government public libraries as important community hubs will give incentives to those public libraries? that serve as centres of learning, professional • The digital revolution has caused many in development, healthcare, and not just storage society including policymakers, people to ask spaces for books. In all libraries, every whether nowadays libraries be relevant to their resource including books, internet access, and communities. No public library can build- educational and professional training programs up environment for community information for individuals and families should be free of services. Youth job seekers now prepare and find charge. question papers and practice for competitive • Libraries are preparing and providing catalogue examination online. No communities have services for a long time. But to sustain libraries ideas that they can especially benefit from should think about query catalogue services- the the library or hardly any librarian have time new way of thinking. This ‘Query Catalogue’ or motivation to build the local community may include the answers of questions about to provide specialized services. There is a computer and internet training, job applications tremendous paradox exists between the library and resume writing, filling out government and society. forms, including tax and health insurance 3.2 Can things be changed? paperwork, stock exchange, share market etc. Change is life. Nothing is permanent except • To make libraries a sustainable future ‘change’. Once upon a time when we thought that library should play a key role in financially telephone, televisions were the status symbol. strengthening the local community. The Books, libraries were the cultural and educational conventional ideas may cynical to many people symbol. Parents, grandparents have nothing like us but this could be one alternative to a around to explore except books.