[Web4lib] Re: Future of libraries

Mon Jul 7 19:22:46 EDT 2008

Hi, Tim
Thanks for the clarification. Sorry, but it wasn't clear (at least to 
me) that you meant to refer to the intellectual basis of cataloging, 
not the current use of library catalogs. 

I do agree with you on tagging, though - I thought your comments were 
spot on there. When I search a library catalog, I'm looking to see if 
they have a book I want to read. I don't want to tag the book's record 
then, and I'm not likely to go back later and tag it after I've read 
it. Ditto on Amazon.

As I said in the Q&A, I'm not a cataloger, but I found that whole 
panel discussion absolutely fascinating. You and the other 
participants did a great job.

Jean Hewlett
Regional Librarian, University of San Francisco

aka Riven Homewood
Director, Steelhead Public Library, Steelhead City, SecondLife

All opinions are my own, and do not represent my employers.

----- Original Message -----
From: Tim Spalding <tim at librarything.com>
Date: Monday, July 7, 2008 3:22 pm
Subject: Re: [Web4lib] Re: Future of libraries
To: Ms Norma Jean Hewlett <hewlett at usfca.edu>
Cc: web4lib at webjunction.org

> Are you referring to me? I was on an ALA panel about the future of 
the
> library catalog. It was in the morning. And I run a popular Web 2.0
> site. If not me, it's quite a coincidence and I'm eager to hear who
> you are speaking of.
> 
> If so, pardon me for saying it, but I think you missed my point. I 
was
> speaking about how the intellectual basis of cataloging was rooted in
> the physical card catalog. My repeated references to the card catalog
> and in-library use were to illustrate this point.
> 
> In the Q&A I think I did at one point speak to whether patrons will
> tag in a catalog, and I indicated that do not, and speculated as to
> why. One reason is that much catalog use is in fact at the library,
> standing at some terminal. Another is that the user is not in the
> right frame of mind to tag—they are mostly finding stuff they haven't
> read yet, at which point both the urge to tag and the knowledge
> necessary for good tagging are absent. This is my theory about why
> library tagging programs have largely failed. (That they have failed
> is, however, not a matter for debate.)
> 
> If you're interested in my talk, it is posted here
> http://www.librarything.com/thingology/2008/07/future-of-
> cataloging.php.
> 
> Tim
> 
> > At the recent ALA conference, it was brought home to me quite
> > forcefully that many people don't know we are changing.
> >
> > I attended a full-morning panel discussion about the future of the
> > library catalog. One of the participants, who is not affiliated 
> with a
> > library and runs a popular web2.0 site, repeatedly described people
> > making a trip to the library and sitting down there to use the
> > catalog. When he spoke, it seemed as if nobody ever logged into a
> > library from their home computer, and so of course people were 
> turning> to alternate sites like his.
> >
> > In fairness, it's quite possible that he was consciously playing
> > devil's advocate. But it did make me realize how even well-informed
> > people can be unaware of what libraries offer these days.
> >
> > Jean Hewlett
> > Regional Librarian, University of San Francisco
> >
> > All opinions are my own, and do not represent my employer.
> >
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: Bill Drew <dreww at tc3.edu>
> > Date: Monday, July 7, 2008 2:02 pm
> > Subject: Re: [Web4lib] Re: Future of libraries
> > To: Chris Strauber <cstrauber at gmail.com>, Dan Lester
> > <dan at riverofdata.com>, "B.G. Sloan" <bgsloan2 at yahoo.com>
> > Cc: web4lib at webjunction.org
> >
> >> I wasn't singling out any one individual.  I was just commenting
> >> on the
> >> general thread of the discussion.
> >>
> >> Bill Drew
> >>
> >> >>> "B.G. Sloan" <bgsloan2 at yahoo.com> 7/7/2008 4:56 PM >>>
> >>
> >> Bill,
> >>
> >> I don't know if you are including any of my posts on the
> > ALA "futures"
> >> panel discussion in your "handwringing about all of our 
> handwringing>> about the future of libraries" comment. If you are, 
> that's not
> >> what I
> >> was doing.
> >>
> >> I was simply saying I was getting tired of the futurists' old 
> "change>> or die" spiel. The futurists sometimes act as if 
> libraries are not
> >> changing. Libraries are changing, although some are changing
> > more/less
> >> than others.
> >>
> >> Bernie Sloan
> >> Sora Associates
> >>
> >>
> >> --- On Mon, 7/7/08, Bill Drew <dreww at tc3.edu> wrote:
> >>
> >> > From: Bill Drew <dreww at tc3.edu>
> >> > Subject: [Web4lib] Re: Future of libraries
> >> > To: "Chris Strauber" <cstrauber at gmail.com>, "Dan Lester"
> >> <dan at riverofdata.com>
> >> > Cc: web4lib at webjunction.org
> >> > Date: Monday, July 7, 2008, 10:14 AM
> >> > It has been interesting to read all of the handwringing
> >> > about all of our
> >> > handwringing about the future of libraries.  It is a major
> >> > part of being
> >> > a librarian to always being forward looking and discussing
> >> > the future.
> >> > Why whine about that?  It makes no sense.  The only
> >> > constant in our
> >> > profession for the last 50 years has been change.  Just
> >> > deal with it and
> >> > move on.  Change is why I enjoy being a librarian.
> >> >
> >> > Bill Drew
> >> >
> >> > -----------------------------------------
> >> > Wilfred (Bill) Drew, M.S., B.S., A.S.
> >> > Assistant Professor
> >> > Librarian, Systems and Tech Services
> >> > Tompkins Cortland Community College  (TC3) Library:
> >> > http://www.tc3.edu/library/
> >> > Dryden, N.Y. 13053-0139
> >> > E-mail: dreww at tc3.edu
> >> > Phone: 607-844-8222 ext.4406
> >> > AOL Instant Messenger:BillDrew4
> >> > Online Identity: http://claimID.com/billdrew
> >> > StrengthsQuest: Ideation, Input, Learner, Activator,
> >> > Communication
> >> > http://www.facebook.com/people/Bill_Drew/
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >
> >> > _______________________________________________
> >> > Web4lib mailing list
> >> > Web4lib at webjunction.org
> >> > http://lists.webjunction.org/web4lib/
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> _______________________________________________
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> >>
> >>
> >
> >
> > _______________________________________________
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> >
> >
> 
> 
> 
> -- 
> Check out my library at 
> http://www.librarything.com/profile/timspalding
> 
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