SPAM-LOW: Re: [Web4lib] Re: Future of libraries

Tue Jul 8 14:35:29 EDT 2008

Pennsylvania has such a program state wide - Ask PA.
http://www.askherepa.org/

I do not have the numbers here as to their success or "non-success" but it
is a nice service to offer our rural population, where most things are not
open 24/7. 

Andrea Berstler - Director 
The Village Library of Morgantown 

-----Original Message-----
From: web4lib-bounces at webjunction.org
[mailto:web4lib-bounces at webjunction.org] On Behalf Of Christopher Kiess
Sent: Tuesday, July 08, 2008 2:03 PM
To: Reeder, Norm
Cc: web4lib at webjunction.org
Subject: SPAM-LOW: Re: [Web4lib] Re: Future of libraries

Norm,

I meant to send this to the list. Dave Clout also brought up some good
points concerning this.

Excellent points and you expose a fatal flaw in one of my arguments. Some of
the best inventions have been reinventions of another technology and, in
many ways, I think librarians have been adept at this.

As for the virtual reference service, I think it can work. It just has to be
marketed in the right way. Maybe if it were less associated with a single
library and part of a larger "web experience." What if there was a
consortium of libraries participating via a single interface for live
interaction.

See this article from Wired:

http://www.wired.com/techbiz/it/magazine/16-04/bz_curator

chris

On Tue, Jul 8, 2008 at 1:11 PM, Reeder, Norm <nreeder at torrnet.com> wrote:

> I guess I'd phrase things a little differently.  Most of the new 
> technologies that have come about didn't originate uniquely for libraries.
>  We are just too small a market.  For instance we didn't invent the 
> barcode idea; it was adapted from the larger marketplace.
>
> Joan Frye Williams often remarks that when she looks for new 
> technologies or what is "coming", she doesn't look in our libraries.  
> She looks at the supermarket or the wider Internet to see what is 
> developing and then thinks "how could we use that".  Stephen Abrams 
> makes similar remarks.  Microsoft is infamous for its "embrace and 
> extend" philosophy (and look how much money they make because of it!).
>
> So I would think that adapting to, and extending the use of new ideas 
> and things is the way to go.  It does take some looking around (and 
> this listserv is one good way to keep abreast of what's going on too).  
> But just because we didn't invent it, or it wasn't taught in library 
> school doesn't mean it can't be significant or we can't play with it.
>
> I think a lot of libraries are playing with Web 2.0 technologies, but 
> there certainly at this point isn't a "default" or "standard" way to 
> implement the variety of things currently out there.  It's going to 
> take some time and trial balloons to see what is effective or not.
>
> One of the things to watch out for though here is the "greatest thing 
> since sliced bread" thingie that initially gets talked about in all of 
> the magazines; websites etc., that then doesn't meet the unattainable 
> expectations and is suddenly condemned for not doing so.  Many new 
> technologies take some time to find their true niche.  (Does anyone 
> remember "Java everywhere--Microsoft is toast!).  Didn't quite happen, 
> but Java is still a significant technology all the same.  I'd say the 
> same thing about
> 24/7 live/Internet reference.  It was touted as the be all and end all 
> and all of our Reference sections were toast.  It didn't turn out to 
> be "all", and there's room for both the new way and old way.  I'm 
> seeing some info to indicate that it isn't all that successful and 
> some libraries are dropping it because of lack of patron input.  But at
least they tried.
>
> Thanks
> Norm Reeder
> Torrance Public Library
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: web4lib-bounces at webjunction.org [mailto:
> web4lib-bounces at webjunction.org] On Behalf Of Cloutman, David
> Sent: Tuesday, July 08, 2008 9:28 AM
> To: Christopher Kiess; Bill Drew
> Cc: web4lib at webjunction.org
> Subject: RE: [Web4lib] Re: Future of libraries
>
> > All right everyone. I'm going to play the Devil's advocate since I 
> > am
> one of
>
> I sure hope, because this statement is crazy:
>
> > Librarians have not changed and they have simply reacted with the 
> > changing times; that is not true change
>
> Actually, I would consider that to be adaptation, the best kind of 
> change. Adaptation means that change is done is the context of 
> situational awareness. There are so many posts to this list about 
> Second Life, and IM chat, etc., and so little of it relates to the 
> actual demands of patrons and abilities of library staff. I cannot 
> project in measurable benefit of providing these technological solutions.
>
> As sad as it may sound, in some libraries (I'm not naming names, 
> here), getting the bulk of the reference staff to answer reference 
> questions by email can be a significant change for an organization. 
> Yes, the reference staff knows how to answer references questions. 
> Yes, they can write email. But for some reason, the bulk of them can 
> be resistant to doing both. If reference staff were more accessible by 
> email, it would certainly benefit the patrons, and it would be a 
> significant adaptation to the current situation. But it doesn't 
> happen, because the librarians are resistant to change.
>
> I'm sure the situation may different in an academic settings, but I 
> think for public libraries, and my library in particular, we needn't 
> be straining to implement bleeding edge technology. Simply 
> implementing well tested technology that many, if not most, of our 
> patrons already use, can provide significant return on investment. 
> And, yes, that is real change, even if it is only reactive.
>
> ---
> David Cloutman <dcloutman at co.marin.ca.us> Electronic Services 
> Librarian Marin County Free Library
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: web4lib-bounces at webjunction.org
> [mailto:web4lib-bounces at webjunction.org] On Behalf Of Christopher 
> Kiess
> Sent: Monday, July 07, 2008 2:49 PM
> To: Bill Drew
> Cc: web4lib at webjunction.org
> Subject: Re: [Web4lib] Re: Future of libraries
>
>
>
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--
C.L. Kiess, B.A., M.L.S.
Information & Knowledge Specialist
Columbus Regional Hospital
Library & Knowledge Services
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