Library 2.0 is a challenge in a lot of ways, to try and create a harmonious transition from the traditional 'shhh...' of library spaces, to the world of infinite possibilities that technology is hurtling us toward (or at least it feels that way sometimes). As a librarian in my 50s, I cling to the idea of a library being a safe haven away from the hustle and bustle. A place where questions are answered, minds are stimulated, and children are introduced to the joy of reading.
That still happens of course but now the answers come in so many different formats. Listen to a podcast from the library homepage, access the library 24/7 from anywhere in the world via the internet. Use free on-line databases, listen to e-books, join in on-line discussions & on-line book-clubs. The rustle of pages turning is being replaced by the clicks of a mouse.
I know 20 years from now libraries are going to be very different places from what they are in 2008. And so they should be. Do we want libraries to stay stuck in a time warp? Remember card catalogues and date stamping books? Possibly a lot of what we are using now to access information will seem just as quaint and obsolete in 2028.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment