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

[B.G. Sloan]

I forgot to mention one thing when I originally posted this...

The first sentence of the LJ report on this ALA panel discussion reads: 

"It was billed as just a beginning of a look at the future of libraries, but panelists at an American Library Association (ALA) annual conference session in Anaheim, CA, Saturday sure had a lot to say about how libraries and librarians need to move forward now."

An e-mail announcement about the panel discussion also mentioned that the session would be used to "...introduce a new Program on America's Libraries in the 21st Century that will formalize the future of libraries as an activity of ALA."

That strikes me as a little odd. Haven't we been talking about the future of libraries for years? Haven't there been countless programs at past ALA conferences dealing with the future of libraries? Why would we just begin a discussion of libraries of the 21st century when we've already been doing that for a long time.

Just curious...

Bernie Sloan
Sora Associates


--- On Tue, 7/1/08, B.G. Sloan <bgsloan2 at yahoo.com> wrote:

> From: B.G. Sloan <bgsloan2 at yahoo.com>
> Subject: [Web4lib] At Session on the Future of Libraries, a Sense of Urgency
> To: web4lib at webjunction.org
> Date: Tuesday, July 1, 2008, 3:23 PM
> There's a report in LJ on an ALA panel discussion on the
> future of libraries:
> 
> "At Session on the Future of Libraries, a Sense of
> Urgency"
> http://www.libraryjournal.com/article/CA6574501.html 
> 
> I sure hope that this "Session on the Future of
> Libraries" panel discussion at ALA was more
> interesting than the LJ report makes it out to be. Maybe
> something was lost in the translation. Maybe someone who
> attended the discussion will set me straight?
> 
> It sure sounds to me like library consultants rehashing the
> same old "change or die" spiel that has been a
> centerpiece at many library conferences and gatherings over
> the past 10-15 years.
> 
> The report notes that Steven Abram "called it
> 'appalling' that he can use a credit card anywhere
> but needs multiple library cards for nearby
> libraries." Has he not heard of reciprocal borrowing?
> Sure, reciprocal borrowing should definitely become more
> widespread, but people in quite a few areas have been able
> to use one library card in nearby libraries for more than
> twenty years. 
> 
> The report also says "Abram, asked how collective
> organization could coexist with locally funded libraries,
> suggested that, at the least, libraries could collaborate
> on their infrastructure, noting that library servers went
> down after flooding in the Gulf Coast and in the Midwest.
> 'There are better ways to architect this stuff,' he
> said. 'We have enough staff if we organize ourselves
> better.'" Has he not heard of library automation
> cooperatives?
> 
> And I don't get the section of the LJ report where
> Abram seems to be equating library professionalism with the
> folks at Wal-Mart who don't have any qualms about
> wearing name tags? So library staff name tags are the key
> to the successful library of the future?
> 
> Then LJ reports the following from panelist Jose-Marie
> Griffiths: "While 'we cannot lose that notion of
> collection,' she said of libraries’ traditional role,
> 'no longer has it to be physically resident in one
> location.'" No longer?? To me the
> "collection" hasn't been physically resident
> in ONE LOCATION for at least twenty years.
> 
> And panelist Joan Frye Williams is quoted as saying that
> libraries should be “more and more a place to do stuff,
> not just to find stuff. We need to stop being a grocery
> store and being a kitchen.” Hasn't that been the case
> for some time now?
> 
> Well, like I said earlier, hopefully something was lost in
> the translation and someone who was there at the discussion
> can set me straight. :-)
> 
> Bernie Sloan
> Sora Associates
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> Web4lib mailing list
> Web4lib at webjunction.org
> http://lists.webjunction.org/web4lib/