[WEB4LIB] Re: FW: LJ: ALA Prez-Elect Gorman on the "Blog People"

[Drew, Bill]

Well said, Roy and Karen.  It is also very hard to not make it personal
when you feel attacked simply because you enjoy using new technologies
and finding ways to sue those technologies to improve library services
and access to information. As a recent immigrant into the blogosphere, I
hope I have something worthwhile to say.  I do not have the time to
write long essays and books as some ALA leaders do.  I find the format
of the blog actually helps me to put my thoughts and ideas into a
coherent form.  

The level of indignation may have gotten out of hand.  I am guilty of
adding to it. I think the best way to handle the situation now is not to
ask Michael Gorman to resign.  It is best to continue to make our case
to council and the executive board for increased use of modern
communications tools within ALA.  We also need to provide examples to
Mr. Gorman of effective use of blogs and other technologies within
LibraryLand.  The two candidates for president appear to be more tech
savvy.  

Bill Drew
drewwe at morrisville.edu

> -----Original Message-----
> From: web4lib at webjunction.org 
> [mailto:web4lib at webjunction.org] On Behalf Of Roy Tennant
> Sent: Friday, February 25, 2005 10:42 AM
> To: Multiple recipients of list
> Subject: [WEB4LIB] Re: FW: LJ: ALA Prez-Elect Gorman on the 
> "Blog People"
> 
> On Feb 25, 2005, at 7:24 AM, K.G. Schneider wrote:
> 
> > this is something suggested in a writing class I'm taking right
> > now--that it's a good idea not to insult your readers. 
> Writers, take 
> > note!).
> 
> I agree with Karen that it's not a good idea to insult your readers, 
> but I'm perfectly happy (as are others, certainly) to insult things 
> they hold dear. And I think that is where Gorman went wrong. If he 
> thinks blogs are bad, then fine, fire away. But to make it 
> /personal/  
> is another matter, as Karen Coyle pointed out. As for the reaction, I 
> think the level of indignation has gotten a bit out of hand. Call for 
> his resignation? I hardly think that is warranted. It may be 
> unfortunate that at the time when we need forward-thinking leaders we 
> end up with one who looks back with more fondness than we would like, 
> but that's life. Kind of like another president that we're stuck with 
> at the moment. Next time vote, and get your colleagues to vote. 
> Meanwhile, feel free to oppose his viewpoints, but by gosh don't make 
> the same mistake of making it personal.
> Roy
> 
> 
>