Local governments will play safe with library closures, but will close them anyway

It is a bit like fighting a losing battle but fight we must to save our local libraries and library professionals.
The proposed closures of libraries (as many as 450) nationwide has raised much interest, scepticism and deep-rooted concerns. Many passionate library-lovers have even embarked on campaigns to save their local libraries from cuts.
There is a wider argument to save our local libraries. Users go to libraries to learn new skills, read, broaden knowledge, access information and even to improve their digital skills by simply going online for finding entertainment/information. Libraries serve as community and cultural centre for residents. They help researchers and academics conduct their reference work and even encourages children to develop reading activity.
Arguably, the internet and electronic reading devices have helped in bringing library to you and make searching and discoverability easy. But until these devices become mass market and until we resolve Britain's digital divide, libraries will continue to help us build a knowledge economy.
In addition to books, libraries provide access to the internet, reference databases for individual disciplines that can be very expensive.
Library professionals have even made an effort to keep up with the digital trends and have introduced RFID tags (users can borrow books from one library and return it via another public library) and even e-books. They have also formed consortium with a view to reduce managing cists and sharing more books between councils to provide users more value and choice.
It is not just an emotional argument. The local authorities have a statutory duty too.
Under the Libraries and Museum Act of 1964 which outlines the general duty of library authorities as "It shall be the duty of every library authority to provide a comprehensive and efficient library service for all persons desiring to make use thereof..."
The Act further states that it is the duty of the library authority to encourage both adults and children to make full use of the library service, and to provide advice as to its use and of making available such bibliographical and other information as may be required by persons using it.
They are also required to keep adequate stocks, by arrangements with other library authorities, and by any other appropriate means, that facilities are available for the borrowing of, or reference to, books and other printed matter, and pictures, gramophone records, films and other materials, sufficient in number, range and quality to meet the general requirements and any special requirements both of adults and children.
Local government authorities may be well aware of their obligation to comply with the law and that's why they are playing it smart. Just as Hounslow Councillor Jagdish Sharma responding to residents' concerns about libraries told Hounslow Chronicle that, "We will still provide public libraries, but how many and where will be subject to the result of the public consultation. Whatever the results, we will ensure that everyone still has access to first-class library services across Hounslow."
The local council pledged that its three main libraries - Feltham, Hounslow and Chiswick will not be up for consultation. That means smaller towns of the council such as Brentford will see its library services axed.
Such streamlining of services call for people to travel longer, miss out on the local flavour and discourage local residents from engaging in public library services.
Government will find ways to work around the Act through other initiatives such as the Big Society project under which local residents will be encouraged and assisted to run library service.
But what about the library professionals who provide specialised services, recommendations and are well aware of the users' needs?
Libraries and library professionals contribute in making users more skilled, and informed as well as help them improve their digital skills.
Under the current initiatives, libraries will stop resembling the libraries we once loved. It is as important to save them as it is to save other public services and we must use the 1964 Act as a means to save libraries.
-By Archana Venkatraman

Control the cloud before it gets out of hand

While outlining its strategy for cloud computing, European Union vice president for the Digital Agenda, Neelie Kroes emphasised that an increased focus on security and data protection in the cloud lies in the heart of its strategy.
Kroes called for data protection standards to be "trans-national because, the free movement of personal data within the EU is another way to complete the digital single market in Europe".
Industry experts have responded that they are already driving self-regulatory initiatives such as developing code of practice documents. But what is really required is a concrete plan of action to address important issues relating to delivery of information services via the cloud.
It is time that guidelines and advisory services for cloud computing is followed by practical initiatives.
While not all data loss issues in the recent times are directly related to cloud, data protection and security issues have always wrecked robust adoption of these technologies by consumers.
Companies need to address a few issues to reassure customers. They need to clearly define what constitutes as their own responsibility towards data protection and security on the cloud, and what constitutes as customer's responsibility. Not many customers are aware of where vendor's responsibilities towards data management ends and where theirs begin.
Secondly service providers need to confidently convince businesses that they can manage unstructured and ever-expanding information created on the social web and safely and securely streamline this information for businesses to action on it.
And lastly, as these providers set their eyes in emerging markets such as China where information is increasingly accessed via mobile devices rather than traditional computing machines, they need to have clear strategy for information delivery on mobile.
Otherwise, as social web and mobile computing become the norm in 2011, there will be wide-spread confusion about who is responsible for data breaches and compliance issues, how to manage and control access to users on mobile devices and how to manage information flow on the social media.
2011 will be a crucial year as we gradually emerge out of the current economic chaos and see new technologies catch up rapidly. The industry must come to grips with these pressing issues and bring transparency, accountability and safety to data on cloud. And yes, the onus is on business customers and info pros too to read the fine-print of cloud services. We are all in it together, aren't we?