Search

The current crisis has called into question the validity of the two main logics that have dominated cultural production in recent years, that is the capitalist market and the welfare state. According to the first one, cultural production is considered as a mere object of consumption controlled exclusively by the law of supply and demand. This logic has gone into crisis since the power of consumption of many citizens has decreased, therefore cultural offerings have been reduced. As an alternative to this private logic of cultural production, the state logic has intended to enhance the number of cultural producers by means of different subsidies. However, over the last five years we have witnessed how different Western European States have dramatically reduced the budgetary allocations for culture. The main result of this crisis is the fact that cultural production has been left in the hands of big private companies whose economic power enables them to monopolize it, thus reducing its plurality and diversity dangerously. As an alternative to this situation, new proposals emerge with the aim to democratize cultural production without depending on the rules established by the liberal market or the State's subsidies. These proposals are a consequence of the development of peer-to-peer (P2P) communication technologies. The convergence of free web platforms and free software that allow users to share their own resources and to have access to materials produced by others have changed the field of traditional production. The emergence of peer-to-peer collaborative projects forces us to question the traditional production model. In the following text we will tackle in a theoretical way how the P2P production model is proposed as the best alternative to face the crisis in the contemporary cultural panorama. This theoretical approach will be accompanied by the description of some P2P projects that have been developed in the fields of art, cinema, photography or theatre. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine how, in many cases, the conversion of analog collections to digital collections is still a paradigm shift with regard to the ownership, use and enjoyment of the collections. Design/methodology/approach – The paper discusses how the inclusion of digital collections has led to a new licensing model that has changed the financial management and administration of budgets for the purchase of collections, starting with the acquisition of scientific journals for specialized centers and extending to all types of resource materials. Findings – In the traditional library collection management model, the documents deemed to be most suitable for the libraries were chosen title by title, and the amounts paid were based on the volume of titles chosen. In the analog model, this resulted in a large investment in similar collections in libraries located in close proximity to one another. In research centers and related universities, attempts were made to make coordinated purchases. However, in most cases purchases were made individually, meaning that costs, and specifically direct costs relating to usage, were very high for a usage of journals in the collection which in many cases was very sporadic. The introduction of purchasing consortia in the electronic environment has led to an increase in the collections of all entities, as well as the rationalization of spending on collections, which is more closely related to the needs of the entities' users. However, the use of such consortia should be more extended and rather than being limited to large libraries or institutions, they should be made available to medium-sized groups of entities which can benefit from these instruments. Originality/value – If the possibility of accessing resources were to be increased through these consortia, the author suggests that it would be of great interest to include diverse materials such as films and music, etc. that may be of interest to other type of institutions, such as those serving the general public. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – In recent years it has become common to hear about the virtues and benefits of the so-called "cloud" for the use of corporate software. Although the use of the cloud in the business environment has already transformed the concept of data storage and resource management, its use in the field of libraries and information centers is somewhat less widespread. This article aims to outline its benefits and drawbacks. Design/methodology/approach – The article describes the features of cloud computing, how it can be used in a professional environment, and its benefits and drawbacks, Findings – Cloud computing is a highly scalable platform promising quick access to hardware and software over the internet, in addition to easy management and access by non-expert users. It relies on technologies such as virtualization, programming techniques such as multi-tenancy and/or scalability, load balancing and optimal performance, to ensure that resources are offered quickly and easily. Practical implications – In the case of public clouds, the techniques generate economies of scale arising from the efficient use of hardware and human resources. These economies of scale, in turn, have an effect on the price the customer pays, which is of great interest to any institution in current times. There are several commercial suppliers already offering various adaptations of their products which make the use of the cloud possible to a lesser or greater extent. However, many of these are not really systems designed by and for cloud computing but rather adjustments of their commercial developments that enable them to continue selling their traditional products. Originality/value – The article focuses on cloud computing and its use in a professional library environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The aim of this paper is to present the initiatives that libraries and information services should take from the standpoint of management or services in times of economic crisis or recession such as the one currently occurring. When budget cuts, downsizing and cuts in equipment are continuous, it is important to reflect on the path that each library should take to overcome the crisis while providing users the services they require. Design/methodology/approach – There are projects internationally, including, inter alia, Pulman and Calimera, which highlight the supportive role of lifelong training, of both formal and informal education and of the libraries' contribution to social and economic development. They even claim that along with archives and museums, libraries should collaborate in developing a strong local economy by supporting local businesses and industry in different ways (offering information services, stimulating the acquisition of basic skills and providing career guidance). Logically, the public library is not the only – and may not even be the principal agent or the one most associated with this problem – which can address job insecurity, economic hardship and people's need for training. However, in the author's view it can have a significant and active role, in coordination with other agents, and it is important to take advantage of its potential: its collections, the training of its staff members, its familiarity with the everyday life of towns and cities, its openness to everyone without any preconditions, etc. Findings – In recent years some libraries have seen their financial resources reduced, or have remained stagnant in face of an increased demand for service. A first consideration in this context, which might be very hard but is unavoidable when faced with such a reality, is the need to rethink which services to keep and which to reduce or cancel if there is insufficient funding. At times it is necessary to choose what to do without. Originality/value – Public libraries are increasingly becoming more of a social space where all people can go for information, learning and culture, regardless of their age, level, training or background. The library as a resource, which in many cases is public, and which enables individuals to enjoy their right to information should be defended to the fullest in times such as these. Also, to the greatest extent possible, libraries should be used in a compensatory manner, targeting people with fewer resources who are in need of skills that enable them to return to the workplace or reduce the consequences of lack of income. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The addition of digital formats such as specialised magazines and e-books to libraries has led to a dramatic change in management format with respect to those involved in the reading process: users, publishers, distributors, booksellers, and authors; and in turn, the way in which libraries are planned and managed. This article aims to focus on these issues. Design/methodology/approach – The paper analyses the implementation of e-books and the relevant literature on the implementation of electronic books, not only in the library field but in other sectors. The article uses various sources to offer conclusions on the interest not only economic but also to improve the quality of service offered by its implementation in libraries or centers of documentation. Findings – Not only is there space-saving in libraries but also a new manner in which to consume information that libraries must adapt to as soon as possible given the increasing demands of users in this connection. All of the previous has given rise to changes in the economic management of libraries. Originality/value – These changes must be assessed before making a decision regarding the purchase of e-book collections and their subsequent organization and management, which indirectly change many of the tasks currently carried out by library staff members, thereby optimizing times and processes for the benefit of increased visibility of the electronic collection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – In all projections for 2011, ROI has become of the great challenges of social media marketing for the business environment. However in the case of non-profit organizations, there is no need for such calculations. It is not as necessary to know how the effort made in these media compares to the benefits that can be obtained. This paper aims to compare the parameters governing social media ROI at an enterprise level and at the level of non-profit institutions. Additionally, the use of social media tools in a strategic plan and to save costs in the institution is discussed. Design/methodology/approach – Where ROI is defined as a mere indicator of return on investment, it involves the direct costs and revenues of each transaction. Combining the world of social media marketing, which is full of intangibles, with the current crisis makes knowing "real" return one of the greatest current needs. When demanding returns from institutions that have never been analyzed from this standpoint, it is important to understand how a tool like this can be used to justify an entity's visibility, brand improvement and ultimately, an increase in the institution's quality and use by users. Also, it should be taken into account that while in 2010 branding was the primary goal of communication in social media, this year in view of the increasingly endemic crisis, a ROI analysis can help an institution to evidence how the cost savings inherent in using these as opposed to former marketing tools substantiate their use. However, this interest involves a great risk of simplification. Findings – The analysis used to measure ROI can follow these lines: The consumption by previous users can be compared with that of current arrivals on the network. Comparisons can be made between the behavior of a user prior to following the library on social media and after doing so. The extent to which the success of new developments, events etc. has improved after being communicated in social networks can be measured. The influence of brand perception on users' consumption and the extent to which the new media have changed this perception can be measured. Originality/value – Conducting a ROI analysis of a library's social media marketing campaign can help it evaluate various aspects in the library. Social media can be considered as an interesting information dissemination tool requiring only minimal effort which can be used by the library to promote reading and publicize its informational and cultural efforts. Social media can also be used as dynamic, provision of service and marketing resources with a clear reduction in costs compared to other more traditional types of advertising and publicizing. Given that in the management of these tools, it is the contents and ideas that are essential rather than the economic resources available, social media are particularly useful for small and medium libraries as they provide the possibility of increasing the visibility of the institution and improving its service and its users' experience. Opening a new channel of communication with users on the internet is a challenge for libraries that can be optimized with the development of a strategy for the use of social media. The library should make an effort to manage these resources efficiently and obtain the largest possible return on their use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – Outsourcing is a tool that has been used in companies for decades. However, it has taken much longer for this tool to be implemented in libraries and documentation centers, especially since they are eminently public entities at an international level. The use of such services has increased in recent years and has been especially heightened by the economic crisis in all areas of the aforementioned centers. However, it is important to understand the basis of this type of tool in order to look beyond the fiscal and economic benefits and attempt to see the possibilities provided by the use of these types of services for improving the dynamics of organizations and even creating new professional profiles within the organization itself This study aims to address this issue. Design/methodology/approach – The outsourcing of services need not always lead to a loss of know-how, and when working from the heart of the organization it is a tool that can even be used to support a culture of change and the revitalization of organizations less likely to change. Findings – The technological, economic and sociological challenges of the information society are demanding the development of new ways to manage human resources in organizations, ways that allow for a greater degree of flexibility leading to innovation and the strengthening of competitiveness. Consequently, there is a need to adapt to the demands of society with services that in many cases are not performed by the entity itself due to a lack of specialized resources within the organization. Originality/value – Many organizations and especially public institutions do not renew their staff regularly, and thus it is possible to encounter organizations where the average age of the employees has increased as the entity has got older. Although such entities are acknowledged for their prestige and experience, there is a clear lack of new ways of thinking which would enable the organization to advance, above all in technological areas where innovation and change are extremely transient. Therefore, a mixed staff is needed, where the knowledge of the organization and processes held by employees who have been with the company since its foundation is combined with the new knowledge and ways of understanding processes held by new recruits. This leads directly to a change in the values of the organization, since the incorporation of new ideas in process management and the incorporation of technologies, allowing for a more cooperative environment, can end up creating an organizational culture with renewed values, always safeguarding the initial core values of the organization and including the new values generated from the incorporation of new ways of working. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]