[Web4lib] At Session on the Future of Libraries, a Sense of Urgency

[B.G. Sloan]

Lisa McAulay said:

"It seems to me that the main point of the session is to shock librarians
into trying new or different things."

I agree 100% with what Lisa said. 

But this "shock therapy" has been going on for 10-15 years. I think it's old hat now. For those who believe that change is necessary, it's preaching to the choir. For those who are cynical about change, this "shock therapy" hardens them even more against change.

Bernie Sloan
Sora Associates

--- On Wed, 7/2/08, McAulay, Elizabeth <emcaulay at library.ucla.edu> wrote:

It seems to me that the main point of the session is to shock librarians
into trying new or different things. Many of those things may not be new
or different to many of the librarians, though, and that's maybe where
the session was disappointing, or at least the write-up about it was
disappointing. In part, the creators of the session are trying to sell
an idea by manipulating people's fear. Fear that our life as we know it
will cease to exist -- that we'll be meaningless in the future. Clearly,
that's an exaggeration. 

As a digital librarian, most of the innovations didn't surprise or
concern me. But I would like to emphasize the importance of library as
place. In many different types of libraries, the spaces have always been
a place to do creative and learning activities. I still need those
spaces and I find many others do, too.


Elizabeth "Lisa" McAulay
Librarian for Digital Collection Development
Digital Library Program
UCLA Library
390 Powell Library Building
Box 957201
Los Angeles, CA 90095-7201
(310) 825-7657
email: emcaulay at library.ucla.edu