Cloud Computing in the Library

 

The term “cloud computing” elicits images of data being stored in ethereal fog banks in the sky. This, of course, is not true. Cloud computing refers to hosted technology services and infrastructure offered by third party vendors. These services cost the library less monetarily but offer the library less control over what they have.

Cloud computing within libraries offers many benefits to improve libraries’ capabilities. The primary benefit of cloud computing is resources on demand. Whether it be sharing services easier between libraries, reducing the cost of purchasing dedicated library infrastructure, or offering more expansive search capabilities, these services  provide a benefit for the custodians of the overall libraries’ public capabilities. Instead of needing to predict where to invest in infrastructure, libraries can test and try different services and see which services are more readily used by their clientele. Then, they can scale the appropriate service that will benefit their library. This allows for better, more customized service capabilities for individual libraries.

Breeding explains in his article “Managing Tech and the Impact of Cloud Computing on Libraries” that this move away from support  and administration of computer infrastructure to working with higher-end software and services will force library personnel to adjust their skills to fit and fill those required today.

Breeding, Marshall. “Managing Tech and the Impact of Cloud Computing on Libraries.” Computers in Libraries, vol. 39, no. 2, Mar. 2019, pp. 9–11. EBSCOhost, research.ebsco.com/linkprocessor/plink?id=8c3c76d7-3e42-3103-9fcf-83d29a656c9a.