[Web4lib] The Ultimate Debate: Do Libraries Innovate?

[e roel]

Like Bill, I respectfully disagree on the MARC record being archaic.  The MARC
record actually represents a minor triumph of design.  It is very compact,
migratable, defines the rules of its database format/organization at its head,
even at its most granular point. It is simply elegant in ways that much of our
technology today is not.

I am open to alternatives, as there have been many along the way.  But, the
fact that MARC has survived all this time could lend one to think that its
design has an advantage.

I am someone who really loves good technology.  I define that (roughly and,
quickly here) as useful and usable stuff.  I don't define technology as merely
electron-based novelty.  

What I try to do in both my personal and professional lives is keep what is
good & adopt what is novel and good.  Leave what is bad behind & go right past
what is novel and bad.

I think that there is a bit of a frenzy around innovation since we are often
quickly professionally rewarded for that. Conversely, there are strong
disincentives for wanting to retain something old.)  And then we go onward. 
Alot of that invention/innovation is left by the way side.  Why? Possibly
because it was too ahead of its time? Possibly because it just didn't serve a
need? Possibly because it is a design failure?  

I enthusiastically support the investigation of ideas. I always hope most of
us are better than just embracing the new without too much question just
because it is new (broadly done in society). 

e roel

------ original message ------
date: Wed, 27 Jun 2007 08:51:49 AM EDT
from: "Bill Drew" <bill.drew at gmail.com>
to: "Jesse Ephraim" <JEphraim at ci.southlake.tx.us>Cc: web4lib at webjunction.org
re: The Ultimate Debate: Do Libraries Innovate?"

One problem with this type of statement: "My biggest pet peeve with library
technology is MARC records - until the library world is ready to move to a
non-archaic form of data storage, I doubt that much will improve."

It implies that there is one world wide monolithic group or organization known
as "the library world."  It is much more complicated than that.

 
-- on 6/26/07, Jesse Ephraim <JEphraim at ci.southlake.tx.us> wrote:

I'm also very interested in finding out how the "Ultimate Debate" went. I was
a professional programmer for almost a decade, so I tend to have pretty strong
feelings about the technical side of library innovation. My biggest pet peeve
with library technology is MARC records - until the library world is ready to
move to a non-archaic form of data storage, I doubt that much will improve. 
If anyone went to the event, was that discussed?

Jesse Ephraim

Youth Services Librarian
Southlake Public Library
1400 Main Street, Suite 130
Southlake, TX  76092
(817) 748-8248
jephraim at ci.southlake.tx.us