I have read what some people said on this issue - the challenges libraries face. They were looking at the library of yesteryears. The problem of libraries and librarians of today is that libraries are going into extinction. When libraries no more exist, what will be the effect on librarians? People no longer visit the libraries; the Internet has taken over. Does anyone need to visit the library before downloading sources from the internet? No! Then why should libraries exist? I think that, point blank, librarians have to be looking for another job or start to think of a way to specialize in cloud librarianship. I am not posing a trait but I am unleashing a reality!

Very Good Vishnu Kumar! Yet, when we study the research papers, numbers of study showed different kind of issues faced by various libraries. like no enough budget for e-resources, issue related to balance budget for print and digital resources, lack of skilled human resources, changing fast technology, lack of sound infrastructure and decrease usage of resources etc.

Problems differ from library to library. There are various dimensions and factors associated with it. It depends upon the situation and other reasons

I agreed Mr. Patil, that's why i eager to know that what is the biggest challenge faced in your library and what is common among all.

Number of problems exist which vary in nature. Many a times the book can not be located at the shown place in the menu.

Hi,

The difficulty of finding the required sources, the lack of paper resources and the possibilities of scientific interest.

Best regards

Absolutely right Mahesh Kumar! I think a biggest challenge / problem means which you want to develop, achieve or execute some task but you face difficulties due some unavoidable circumstances. It may be lack of skilled staff, lack of enough budget, not proper infrastructures , job satisfaction, related to library operation or management, usage down, lack of e-resources, management of digital collection, acceptance of technologies etc.

According to my experience I think that the challenges in a public and private institution are different. I can mention two challenges for a public institution - change working culture and reorganize the structure because they are related to a myths and customs (organizational symbolic frame) and with privileges and comfort, also on many occasions with obsolete institutional policies. In a private institution normally there are less challenges and more functional regulations.

Availability of place and skilled personnel

The major challenge to all types of libraries is funding. Budgetary allocation to library is inadequate .

The major challenge is funding. Budgetary allocation to libraries is inadequate .

In our Library, at this moment the biggest challenges are: the difficulties due to budgetary adjustments that prevent contracting qualified professionals to replace those who retire, the limitations to acquire documents and subscribe online services, the need to develop new capacities to manage research data, the adaptation of our open access repository to the requirements set by Argentine national legislation, and the continuous improvement of the informational skills of technologists and industrialists.

The last item of my answer refers to generating services and opportunities for the promotion of the increase of the users' informational competencies.

Financial or budget cutback and inadequate staff are the major practical problems in the academic libraries

Thank you all for your valuable suggestions and responses.

The major setback

of libraries are funding and sustainability of digitized system especially in Africa

The main problem for academic libraries IMHO is to prevent that libraries and their public finacial backers forget their past and their contribution to the cultural material heritage. Another problem is that libraries and their finacial backers forget the idea of an open future (incredible if you think about open access, open science, public domain etc.). We don't know the future but we pretend to do so and manage our libraries too little open minded. Manage your libraries in a way which is open for different futures! Some things of the past survived only by keeping them in stack without a decided interest.

Thanks Chuks and Markus for your response.

there are some problems in libraries such as funding and competence librarians, but actually as long as it still can to fulfill the users needed that's not a problem means. Because basically the services provided are to fulfill the user needs

the biggest challenge most of academic libraries faced in Nigeria is poor ICT facilities and lack of internet connectivity

Thank you so much for your excellent views and suggestions... Indah Wijaya Antasari and Babangida Umar Babayi.

I have read what some people said on this issue - the challenges libraries face. They were looking at the library of yesteryears. The problem of libraries and librarians of today is that libraries are going into extinction. When libraries no more exist, what will be the effect on librarians? People no longer visit the libraries; the Internet has taken over. Does anyone need to visit the library before downloading sources from the internet? No! Then why should libraries exist? I think that, point blank, librarians have to be looking for another job or start to think of a way to specialize in cloud librarianship. I am not posing a trait but I am unleashing a reality!

Dwindling library budget

Thanks Vincent and Liz!

The biggest challenge for my library is survival. There are fewer and fewer readers. University libraries have scientists and students. Public libraries go to direction to culture houses. Games and events in libraries are slowly becoming a basic activity.

We have all time our business library full. The key is an excellent integration of the library into the Business School work, robust Information Literacy program and faculty research support. Budget and staff (many librarians) work culture are the hard challenges for more libraries in our Campus.

Thank you very much Liz, Mariusz and Snejanka!

Dear Shamji D Parmar,

1. The biggest problem in our library is that we have to serve the many faculties students simultaneously. And the number of courses or faculties are increasing year after year. The problem is the number of staff is the same, the space also is the same but the courses are increasing and we have to look after all students.

2. Secondly, we face many problems about the Software. Because, it is not a standard software. Though it is user friendly, still we have to face problems like reports are not proper, statistics or charts features are poor etc...

3. Our users are mainly under graduates i.e. teenagers, who come from the slums area. So they are working outside. And their family background is poor. So all our students demand more for Text Books / Syllabus Books than the reference books; so in our collection Text Books are more and Reference Books are less.

Regards!

Dr. Yojana Patil

1) Under staffing i.e Paucity of qualified and competent staff members, and also lack of the required number of staff.

2)Lack of motivation

3)Undue interference in Library activities by parent management

4) Funding and Misappropriation of funds

Lack of motivation in people to visit and use public libraries is a big challenge.

Thank you so much for your worthy suggestions Dr. Yojana Yatin Patil, Ikponmwosa Obaseki and Saeid Asadi.

Thanks Dr.Maitrayee Ghosh! Very true! lack of skilled professionals... difficult to manage library and provide best services! Absolutely right for collection development! It is challenging task to develop collection policy and collection management in shortage of space!!!

Dear Dr. Shamji D Parmer,

You have rightly understood the points.