Friday, September 3, 2010
Week 1 readings, part 2
I feel that the Lied Library has done an awesome job in keeping updated with the current technology and has a good system in place from doing this. The OCLC article has some good points to it and is very true, especially about email and SMS messaging. The world around us is changing and we either have to change with it or get left behind. One article shows how the technology is changing at an increased rate, and the other shows how one library is keeping up with this problem. Libraries around the world have had to change their view on what it means to be a library and how to share their information to the masses. Some have not survived this transition, which is sad. Those libraries who have survived now have economical issues to look at keeping themselves afloat. Books and libraries have never been cheap things. With the printing press, making books became cheaper and more people could afford purchasing them. Now that the world has become fixated on computers and technology, the price has risen again. Whether libraries should move away from technology for the sake of their funding or move ahead with technology is unsure. Libraries have to look at their own resources and make this decision for themselves.
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Hi Jobeth, I'm curious about the question you raise near the end of your post as to whether or not libraries should "move away" from technology for budgetary reasons. I wasn't aware that libraries actually consider this an option; it seems like it would be hard for public libraries to make a case for government funding if they were not able to offer information technology services to a very technology-dependent community. In my experience, libraries are cutting staff and the acquisition budget for traditional materials in favor of obtaining more electronic materials and computers. How do your experiences differ? Were you speaking about private libraries in particular?
ReplyDeleteI actually have no experience working in any type of library. I was just wondering what to do with the merging of libraries and technology. Whether one would go away or whether they'd figure out a good merger. I have actually tried getting a position within a library and have found that those positions are limited. Also that library hours are dwindling. So, I understand that public libraries are cutting back, but is it a good thing? I mean is it a good thing to cut back on library hours and workers? Is the money being spent on technology and digitization good since the technology will change in a few months, years, etc.?
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