Library 2.0 Some Thoughts aka week 6 #15

Reading the articles we're directed to, I find I have a few thought stirring around in there somewhere.

Yes it is exciting. Its potentially in many ways a new paradigm on how we operate. The concept of a truly interactive world wide web network accessible by anyone anywhere with a readily accesible even portable interface is something to look forward too. Indeed many scifi writers and tv shows have been envisaging that since the 60's at least. Thank You Mr Spock. And what's more; initiatives such as worldcat, where you have an online catalogue able to access any and all libraries is long overdue, along with other initiatives such as Google's online library of ebooks, and no it won't put us out of a job, more on that later.

However there is a little voice inside my head, for now we'll call him the anti-spock. That says most of the stuff we're reading and seeing is American, now I've got nothing against Yanks per se, but as we're all being absorbed into this great cultural zeitgeist, (Remember Mickey Mouse at Moomba!) there is, a tendency to focus on the tools and get all hyped up about them. And that's what Library 2.0 and all its associated tech are; tools. But, I hear you say that's what this exercise is all about, of course its going to focus on the tools we use.

Granted. says the anti-spock. but looking at the 5 articles we're directed to, 4 of them are fairly singular in that they're all about the tech, and what implications this has for libraries. its purely the 5th article http://www.oclc.org/nextspace/002/6.htm which both gives a total overview and encompasses the tech within the bigger picture and then extrapolates it a bit further. I also can't help but make the connection rightly or wrongly that the 4 tech articles are written by men, while the 5th is written by a woman. Draw what conclusions you will. For the record I am a guy, although on a day to day work basis I'm just one of the girls, just built differently:)

They say that libraries 10 years from now will be unrecognizable, that's probably true, Libraries from 10 or even 20 years ago are a far cry from what we have now. But rather than focusing on what's changed, the tech tools. What's stayed the same? The People! Yes part of our job has always been and will continue to be facilitating access to resources whether on site or on line. The other part is Libraries are a great community resource where people come together, and that too will, I think, continue. Lastly as one patron once said to me "Library's are the poor man's university" So as the cultural divide between the have's and have not's is reputedly growing there's yet another rationale for our continued existence, as a means of access to the wonderful new technology which you may not be able to afford.

PS I read a recent post by effing librarian where he had a rant about library 2.0 and how the internet has become more of a problem in that people expect you to find answers to questions that once would have been answered with a pat 'we don't hold it try somewhere else' response. Yep been there!

I followed this up with a look at the extinction timelime on the librarybytes feeds on bloglines
http://www.librarybytes.com/2007/10/innovation-extinctions-1950-2050.html which claims libraries will be extinct within 10 years. This too prompted a scathing response from the 'efnlib' and he's right, the reasons being implicit in his previous post.

As long as there is new and developing technology there will be those of the great unwashed public who will want/need help in navigating their way around it. And please note as I've said before I have the greatest affection for the public most of them are a pleasure to serve, but its the ones who exhibit a lack of common sense, initiative or plain basic intelligence who sadly enough are going to ensure we will still have a job in 10 years and beyond. So to all you lazy layabouts out there, Thank You.

PPS. Had another look at the ef and it seems he's picked up on it in his next post and nailed it. I'm really starting to like this guy. http://effinglibrarian.blogspot.com/2007/10/extinction-of-libraries.html