Cloud computing: a concept worth adopting in libraries?

I learnt many new things in the week ending by but the most interesting one is cloud computing. A well prepared and tailor-made presentation for LIS postgraduate students by a senior lecturer in the department of information systems at University of the Western Cape was so beneficial to me.  click  here to watch a video on cloud computing.

I am now very aware that compared to a traditional computer that requires me to be in the same position physically accessing it as storage devise, the cloud takes way that arrangement. With the cloud technology, the cloud provider can both own and house the hardware and software and run my home applications. 

I just noted that once connected to the Internet; I can retrieve, edit, store and access any document on the cloud hardware at any time and indeed, anywhere. 

The presenter also talked about the type of the clouds that I can subscribe to depending on my needs and they include the public cloud which can be accessed by any subscriber with an Internet connection and access to the cloud space for example Google Drive, private cloud  which is established for a specific group or organisation and limits access to just that group,  community cloud which is shared among two or more organisations that have similar cloud requirements and finally, a hybrid cloud which is essentially a combination of at least two clouds, where the clouds included are a mixture of public, private, or community. 

Applying the concept of cloud computing to librarianship  

I personally feel that he library community can apply the concept of cloud computing to increase the power of collaboration and to form a significant, unified presence on the Web. When library systems are deployed as open cloud solutions, then the library community itself can step up to create extensions to their core services and share them throughout the community using cloud solutions. Secondly, libraries can get out of the business of technology and focus on collection building, patron services and innovation. This can improve the delivery of library services to its clients.