[Web4lib] Re: [lita-l] "The Ultimate Debate: Do Libraries Innovate" at ALA this month

[Bill Drew]

The questions imply a point of view that librarians are not innovative or
that innovation can only come by us creating new technologies.  It is
extremely hard to write neutral questions on such topics.

-- 
Wilfred (Bill) Drew
Associate Librarian, Systems and Reference
Morrisville State College Library
E-mail: mailto:drewwe at morrisville.edu
AOL Instant Messenger:BillDrew4
BillDrew.Net: http://billdrew.net/
Wireless Librarian: http://people.morrisville.edu/~drewwe/wireless/
Library: http://library.morrisville.edu/
SUNYConnect: http://www.sunyconnect.suny.edu/
My Blog:http://www.bloglines.com/blog/BillDrew
"To teach is to learn twice." - Joseph Joubert


On 6/5/07, Frances McNamara <f-mcnamara at uchicago.edu> wrote:
>
> I think Lorre is reacting to the condescending tone of some self
> proclaimed "innovators". I know an article Steve Abrams did recently
> about dealing with change and the psychology of it and so forth was
> received as an insult by the librarians using the Horizon system. His
> implication was that they had problems dealing with "change" because
> SirsiDynix had decided to drop their newly ILS developed system in favor
> of the 20 year old Unicorn system. If that's "innovation" you can can
> it. The librarians involved didn't believe reverting to an old system
> instead of implementing an newly written n-tier Java and Lucene based
> system was an acceptable change. So I'd call that soppy article about
> dealing with change and comparing it to dealing with a person's death as
> "ham-fisted librarian bashing".
>
> You're a librarian, therefore you are old fashioned. I'm a vendor,
> therefore I'm innovative. I don't buy that myself. I also think it is
> perfectly valid to evaluate Google and Amazon features and decide
> whether or which would work well in libraries. You know, Google and
> Amazon don't have a goal to replace libraries, that's not what they are
> there for, nor do they particularly expect that to happen. They figure
> we know what we are doing and are looking to work with libraries.
>
> Sometimes these, oh we have to innovate and don't know how type sessions
> come across as condescending. I think that's the criticism.
>
> Frances McNamara
> University of Chicago
>
> Blansett, Jim wrote:
>
> > Just asking, Lorre, but why do you label this gathering "ham-fisted
> > librarian bashing?"
> >
> > Jim
> >
> > --
> > Jim Blansett - Information Resources Librarian
> > McLure Education Library - University of Alabama
> > Box 870266 - Tuscaloosa, AL 35487-0266
> > (205) 348-1506 (Phone)
> > (205) 348-1506 (Fax)
> > jim.blansett at ua.edu <mailto:jim.blansett at ua.edu>
> >
> > Once you can accept the universe as matter
> > expanding into nothing that is something,
> > wearing stripes with plaid comes easy.
> > -Albert Einstein
> >
> > ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> >
> > *From:* Lorre Smith [mailto:LSmith at uamail.albany.edu]
> > *Sent:* Tuesday, June 05, 2007 9:44 AM
> > *To:* lita-l at ala.org
> > *Subject:* RE: [lita-l] "The Ultimate Debate: Do Libraries Innovate"
> > at ALA this month
> >
> > Looks more to me like more ham-fisted librarian bashing than a debate.
> >
> > Lorre Smith
> >
> > ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> >
> > *From:* Fisher, Joseph [mailto:Joseph_Fisher at uml.edu]
> > *Sent:* Friday, June 01, 2007 2:35 PM
> > *To:* lita-l at ala.org
> > *Subject:* [lita-l] "The Ultimate Debate: Do Libraries Innovate" at
> > ALA this month
> >
> > *Due to popular demand, the LITA Internet Resources and Services
> > Interest Group (IRSIG) is hosting a second "Ultimate Debate" session
> > at the ALA Annual Conference in Washington D.C. *
> >
> > *Time: 1:30 pm – 3:30 pm* ** ****Saturday, June 23, 2007**
> >
> > **Room: ***Renaissance Mayflower** (MAY) Grand Ballroom***
> >
> > **Title – "The Ultimate Debate: Do Libraries Innovate?" **
> >
> > **Speakers: Stephen Abram, Joe Janes, Karen Schneider, and Andrew Pace**
> >
> > **Description – Libraries did not invent Google Book Search,
> > LibraryThing, Facebook, or any other innovation critical to the new
> > information era and knowledge economy. We make use of these
> > inventions, but is that enough? What prevents us from being more
> > creative? Questions and answer session follows. **
> >
> > *Question 1:*
> >
> > *Is there any evidence that libraries are innovative institutions?*
> >
> > * *
> >
> > *Question 2 (reserve):*
> >
> > *What is your definition of an innovative library and what would be
> > some of its qualities?*
> >
> > * *
> >
> > *Question 3:*
> >
> > *What prevents libraries from innovating?*
> >
> > * *
> >
> > *Question 4:*
> >
> > *Can libraries become more innovative, and if so, how?*
> >
> > * *
> >
> > *Question 5:*
> >
> > *What will happen if libraries do not become more innovative?*
> >
> > * *
> >
> > *Question 6:*
> >
> > *Even if libraries become more innovative, can they hope to compete
> > with the private sector for their user's attention?*
> >
> > * *
> >
> > *Question 7:*
> >
> > *What is your vision for the future of library innovation, and what is
> > your level of confidence in achieving it?*
> >
> > * *
> >
> > **Please join Stephen Abram, Joe Janes, Karen Schneider, and Andrew
> > Pace for the ultimate debate on these questions.**
> >
> > * *
> >
> > ******************************************************************
> >
> >
> > Please also join us for an IRSIG business meeting at *Hyatt Regency
> > Capital Hill** (REG) Columbia A, ***10:30 am - 12 noon Sunday, June 24.
> >
> > Joseph Fisher
> >
> > IRSIG Vice-Chair
> >
> > University of Massachusetts, Lowell
> >
> > Joseph_Fisher at uml.edu
> >
>
>
>