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

[HAZEL Margaret E]

If necessity is the mother of invention, and libraries have
traditionally had to ever do more with less....the very fact of our
existence tells you that we are innovators.   It may not be flashy
innovation, but we are constantly reinventing how we do things.  Even in
the most staid institution.

-Margaret

Margaret E. Hazel
Principal Librarian, Technology/RFID_LIB listmom/GenX Librarian
Eugene Public Library
Eugene, OR


-----Original Message-----
From: web4lib-bounces at webjunction.org
[mailto:web4lib-bounces at webjunction.org] On Behalf Of Bill Drew
Sent: Tuesday, June 05, 2007 8:43 AM
To: f-mcnamara at uchicago.edu; Web4Lib
Subject: [Web4lib] Re: [lita-l] "The Ultimate Debate: Do Libraries
Innovate"at ALA this month

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
> >
>
>
>
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