Role of librarians

[Elisabeth Roche]

I had posted the a synopsis of some comments by Alan Kay of Apple Computers
(I saw the hearing on
C-Span last week, the day I posted the original email to Web4lib for
opinions) who was testifying at the
Science and Technology SubCommitte hearing.

Something had occurred to me concerning his testimony, that in the real
world could be of even more concern
than the issues which rightly have been brought up so far by everyone who
responded.

In the United States one of the issues before this committee is the fact
that the schools are the only places in the entire country that are not
wired with telephone service throughout. (fiber optic or otherwise)

This is a major limiting factor in putting the classrooms and students "online."

I wonder if this Apple executive's comments can be used to put the libraries
(and schools) between the proverbial rock and hard place.

While seeking funds to install telephone service in all the schools, in
preparation for putting "online" information resources into all schools, the
argument against spending the money would be, "the libraries already have
all this information, students just have to go there."

Additionally, if Alan Kay's comments are taken as logical,  as in it is
proved students don't use the libraries in numbers anyway, why would we
waste money to have the same inevitable behavior be demonstrated  with
"information online" in the schools?

Then when libraries, especially school libraries, seek funding they are
told, "libraries are obsolete, all the information will be on the
"information super-highway."  This has already happened in Cleveland,
remember the SuperIntendent's rationale for eliminating the High school
libraries? 

Since our information systems at all levels are funded through so many
diverse paths, the "testimony" of an important professional as Alan Kay, of
Apple Computing, can be used by politicians and administrators to justify
"their" departments lack of support, and dollars through "their pathway" to
ensuring funding for libraries of all sorts, libraries
 of information online and the attendant infrastructure needed, libraries in
high schools, elementary schools, etc.

The danger I see is Mr. Kay's testimony being used by budget cutters, the
end result being all information services losing adequate funding. 

I am sure this is not Mr. Kay's desire, or even the Science and Technology
Committee's, or the local school board or the Friends of the Library in any
given town. But given the climate in Congress, and what happened in
Cleveland High Schools, it is not a far reach to be concerned, and be
prepared to counteract the possibility of people using both arguments
concurrently.

Elisabeth Roche ace at opus1.com




At 11:45 AM 10/16/95 -0700, web4lib at library.berkeley.edu wrote:
>>
>>That may be mostly true,  but it is not true that all the infomation I need
>>is in my local public library. And when I need a cgi script to
>>process forms, I'm not going to the library. If I want the text
>>of the latest Supreme Court decision the day after it comes down,
>>I'll find it on the Internet, but not in the library.
>>
>
>Another comment - the WWW aspect of the internet has given birth to a media
>that can link to discrete pieces of information - text, video, etc in a way
>that just doesn't compare to a  bookshelf ...and not only could the text of
>that Supreme Court decision be found on the 'net but also (theoretically
>anyway) commentary/analysis, visual elements of the case, etc
>
>Mike Ells 
>Orbis Broadcast Group
>orbis5 at aol.com
>