WARNING! This is complete conjecture and mental musings. I have no fact to back any of this up and it is based on my lone experience and observations. Feel free to argue and prove me wrong. Please don't take this as a generalization of my experience within the classroom or with my classmates. You guys rock my socks!
So as I was reading Thea's blog about coffee houses and Amanda's blog about the rudeness on the boards and I began to think, which is always a bad thing. And I was wondering, are libraries going to end up being our source of human interaction in the technological age?
Now this may be a leap from how I talked about reading the two blogs, but stay with me...
So I have issues with technology, well more like technology has issues with me. I had a very eccentric friend tell me once that I must have some fae blood in me somewhere due to my aversion to technology and the skill at which I can blow up almost any technological device I come into contact with. She said, and I quote "I've read that only the fae can do what I've seen you do to a simple mobile phone." (At the time, I was standing outside and it was raining and the phone literally started to smoke in my hands, don't know why, it just kind of "poofed," I blamed the rain, she blamed magic).
So I've always shied away from technology until recently. And the more I observe and use it the more issues I'm having with it.
One of them is that people are willing to be so much more meaner and critical to a computer screen then they would be to your face. My case in point (and what Amanda's blog got me thinking about) is our random board post that was so (I love Lankes word for it) snarky! I loved that people jumped right on top of that, and I also am glad that Lankes (hopefully) put a stop to it.
Other issues I'm having with technology (and that I have noticed in myself over the past year) is that you lose your social skills.I was a little social butterfly (and this is why I put the disclaimer up, because there are many factors that go into this, I know that, but I definitely feel that technology is one of them) up until a little over a year ago. Shortly after my daughter was born and I began preparing for grad school and what not, my life began to revolve around my computer as my contact to the outside world and all my friends both local and from my undergrad years.
Upon arriving in my first grad school class I realized, I just can't have a conversation anymore with people face to face (again, I know many other factors are involved including the fact that I'm inundated with Blues Clues and Fresh Beat Band every day and not CNN and the local news and don't have much to talk about with people).
But, and this is something that I have noticed in myself and people that I am close to who are very involved in their technological stuff, in the cyber world you can "talk over" people. You can type away and then scroll up and read what they have said, you don't have to be polite and listen, if you "talk over" someone they don't care. They'll just scroll up as well. I have caught myself being just plain rude multiple times in the last couple of weeks and I have had to put forward an effort to control that. Again, not all of it is technology's fault, but I just feel like it's helped me along my path to idleness and social akwardness. I just feel like IMing, and Skype, and Facebook and Twitter have made it easy not to listen. You don't have to listen to people if you don't want to on a computer, you just shut down the screen or click on the "X" button. It's easy to lose your listening skills.
So, I read Thea's blog. And I was like yes! She talks about owning a coffeehouse with her husband and how it will be this place where people come and have intellectual conversation and a sharing of ideas. And I'm like (I will repeat) yes! Because to me, that's what the library is going to be in the future.
As things become more centered around our computer screen or our cell phone or iPad, we need a place where we can go and have a face to face conversation with someone. We are social animals, and most of us crave human interaction. I thought that the computer was my means of a social device. It's so easy and so comfortable to use. But if we lose that face to face interaction I feel that we are losing a flowing of ideas and our ability to actually have a conversation with someone. I believe that we lose our ability to understand those nuances that come with looking someone in the face and talking. And I believe that we become desensitized when we have this impassive screen staring back at us, not telling us that we are stepping over our bounds or are being rude.
I have more to say on this, and I'm kind of playing with these ideas. Anyone, please tell me I'm completely off the mark and losing my marbles. I'm hoping to post more next week on this,but I believe I have rambled enough. I'm trying to understand the libraries of the future and where my mark may be on those, if I even leave a mark. So excuse my ramblings if you will :-D
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
I HAD IT! I HAD MY "THIS IS WHAT I'M GOING TO DO FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE MOMENT #1!"
So as I've been told by a couple people now, every time we venture out into a different area of librarianship in these introductory classes we are going to want to be that type of librarian. So this past week I went and I interviewed my librarian administrator. I've just moved to the Clay area and so I decided to go to NOPL @ Cicero and meet with Lynne. She was the coolest lady ever. The NOPL was the coolest library ever.
It wasn't even the interview that got me (though that was fascinating) it was when she opted to give me a tour of the library and show me some of the things we had been talking about (making room for computers, the children's area, the new big comfy chairs, you know the usual library decor).
We were talking about the use of the end of stacks for material and suddenly a quote from our textbook popped into my head about marketing space and I just kind of blurted it out. It's literally the first time that I've retained information yet! I know that is probably sad, but it's true. Up until this point I've sat poised at my computer looking up countless words, going over every single piece of reading material we are given attempting to grab a hold of something here that will click. Walking into a library is what did it for me.
When I was there (and after I had that moment) I kind of looked around and went, AH-HA WATSON I'VE GOT IT! I have lived my life either behind a desk or in a book. As a history major at Cortland for my undergrad and then for the past two years working at MFC I've never really been hands on in something I love. Don't get me wrong I worship the ground that history walks on, but I never did anything with it. I didn't intern anywhere, I didn't do anything like that. But being in that library and talking shop (or as much shop as I could talk) with Lynne and then two other librarians she introduced me too (yes! she introduced me to the program librarian and the children librarian, by then I was giddy. I was probably rambling away at these people and they needed to get work done), I was like yes! This is it! I want to stay here! Find me a bunk in the children section! Honey I'm home!
Poor Lynne should never have opened up at that door to me. I'm going to be in that library every free minute (okay, well then I'll never be there) I've got.
It wasn't even the interview that got me (though that was fascinating) it was when she opted to give me a tour of the library and show me some of the things we had been talking about (making room for computers, the children's area, the new big comfy chairs, you know the usual library decor).
We were talking about the use of the end of stacks for material and suddenly a quote from our textbook popped into my head about marketing space and I just kind of blurted it out. It's literally the first time that I've retained information yet! I know that is probably sad, but it's true. Up until this point I've sat poised at my computer looking up countless words, going over every single piece of reading material we are given attempting to grab a hold of something here that will click. Walking into a library is what did it for me.
When I was there (and after I had that moment) I kind of looked around and went, AH-HA WATSON I'VE GOT IT! I have lived my life either behind a desk or in a book. As a history major at Cortland for my undergrad and then for the past two years working at MFC I've never really been hands on in something I love. Don't get me wrong I worship the ground that history walks on, but I never did anything with it. I didn't intern anywhere, I didn't do anything like that. But being in that library and talking shop (or as much shop as I could talk) with Lynne and then two other librarians she introduced me too (yes! she introduced me to the program librarian and the children librarian, by then I was giddy. I was probably rambling away at these people and they needed to get work done), I was like yes! This is it! I want to stay here! Find me a bunk in the children section! Honey I'm home!
Poor Lynne should never have opened up at that door to me. I'm going to be in that library every free minute (okay, well then I'll never be there) I've got.
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Blogging, Hives, and Access
So my first issue with this week's blog is that I don't think I like blogging. I thought I would, but I get all freaked out and don't know what to say. I'm probably over thinking this totally. I feel as if I'm in an academic setting, so I must write an essay. Since I've never written a blog before that's what I sit down to write. But when I read everyone elses blogs, that is not what they are. They are not essays. Again, totally over thinking. I know.
Secondly, I need to stop reading everyone's blogs because I break out in hives and go into a cold sweat. Everyone sounds so intelligent and well versed in the world of librarianship. I'm thinking "seriously! This is my job competition! I'm screwed!" So overall, well done all! I enjoy reading what everyone writes much more than I do writing it myself.
Finally, the real reason for my blog this week. ACCESS. I know there's been like 10 blogs about it this week, but it's a very intriguing topic. The whole concept of the ethical issues with the legal issues and the binding ALA issues. It's a topic that has dragged me under as well. I look at it from the point of view of my current job (which sucks, just in case anyone is wondering). Not everyone has access to the same documents. We deal with a lot of government jobs, so I can understand those. But for every day information, most of us peons do not have access to simple Gerber files (if you really want to know what that is, I'll explain in person, but trust me, it's not that big of a deal). I mean, I agree that we should not be able to change the original, but giving us access to a "read only" file and allowing us to copy and alter a copy. Really? What does that hurt?
And what does this have to do with libraries? Now I get to it.....
So I think of the conversation with the person asking about information on how to make a bomb. I totally agree that the person has the right to the "read only" files on that information. They have the right to copy (legally) and expand and alter on (again, legally) that "read only" file to their little hearts content. But when a person takes that information and makes the bomb that blows up the subway, then I have problems. If a person came into my library and I gave him "read only" access to files on bomb making and then he killed hundreds of people, I don't think I could handle that. Sooo....do you just deny people the right to information because you as a person couldn't deal with the repercussions? I'm not saying that either.
I believe that we as librarians have the right to know when people who are using "questionable" information are intending to do wrong. Now, I'm not saying that people need to tell us exactly what their intentions are with the information we're giving them (wait for the explanation before you judge please). And I believe that we can get to this information by continuing to help the patron. I mean, if someone is researching bomb's and how to make them, can't I offer them information on how to defuse bombs and maybe pictures on what bombs have actually done to women and children and families? If I really supply them with all the information and open their eyes to what they would be doing to someone and their family, maybe that would stop them from going out and using the "read only" files to horrible ends. I mean, that's the role we play as librarians. Making sure people have the complete picture, the complete story.
We don't have a right to censor what people want. If they want information on how to make a bomb, on suicide, on sex, we don't have a right to tell them "no, I don't think that's appropriate." I do believe that by being a good librarian, however, we can figure out whether or not people mean to do harm with the information we're giving them. And I also believe that if they are going to do harm, we need to step out of our roles as librarians and deal with the human side of the situation. If I believe one hundred percent that a person is going to make a bomb with the information I have given him and try to blow up a school, I will alert at least my manager so they can deal with the situation appropriately. If I didn't at least do that or if I was told that I couldn't at least do that, then I would have some major moral dillemas within the librarian profession.
Secondly, I need to stop reading everyone's blogs because I break out in hives and go into a cold sweat. Everyone sounds so intelligent and well versed in the world of librarianship. I'm thinking "seriously! This is my job competition! I'm screwed!" So overall, well done all! I enjoy reading what everyone writes much more than I do writing it myself.
Finally, the real reason for my blog this week. ACCESS. I know there's been like 10 blogs about it this week, but it's a very intriguing topic. The whole concept of the ethical issues with the legal issues and the binding ALA issues. It's a topic that has dragged me under as well. I look at it from the point of view of my current job (which sucks, just in case anyone is wondering). Not everyone has access to the same documents. We deal with a lot of government jobs, so I can understand those. But for every day information, most of us peons do not have access to simple Gerber files (if you really want to know what that is, I'll explain in person, but trust me, it's not that big of a deal). I mean, I agree that we should not be able to change the original, but giving us access to a "read only" file and allowing us to copy and alter a copy. Really? What does that hurt?
And what does this have to do with libraries? Now I get to it.....
So I think of the conversation with the person asking about information on how to make a bomb. I totally agree that the person has the right to the "read only" files on that information. They have the right to copy (legally) and expand and alter on (again, legally) that "read only" file to their little hearts content. But when a person takes that information and makes the bomb that blows up the subway, then I have problems. If a person came into my library and I gave him "read only" access to files on bomb making and then he killed hundreds of people, I don't think I could handle that. Sooo....do you just deny people the right to information because you as a person couldn't deal with the repercussions? I'm not saying that either.
I believe that we as librarians have the right to know when people who are using "questionable" information are intending to do wrong. Now, I'm not saying that people need to tell us exactly what their intentions are with the information we're giving them (wait for the explanation before you judge please). And I believe that we can get to this information by continuing to help the patron. I mean, if someone is researching bomb's and how to make them, can't I offer them information on how to defuse bombs and maybe pictures on what bombs have actually done to women and children and families? If I really supply them with all the information and open their eyes to what they would be doing to someone and their family, maybe that would stop them from going out and using the "read only" files to horrible ends. I mean, that's the role we play as librarians. Making sure people have the complete picture, the complete story.
We don't have a right to censor what people want. If they want information on how to make a bomb, on suicide, on sex, we don't have a right to tell them "no, I don't think that's appropriate." I do believe that by being a good librarian, however, we can figure out whether or not people mean to do harm with the information we're giving them. And I also believe that if they are going to do harm, we need to step out of our roles as librarians and deal with the human side of the situation. If I believe one hundred percent that a person is going to make a bomb with the information I have given him and try to blow up a school, I will alert at least my manager so they can deal with the situation appropriately. If I didn't at least do that or if I was told that I couldn't at least do that, then I would have some major moral dillemas within the librarian profession.
Saturday, September 11, 2010
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
First Day Of Class....
So, I've never written a blog before, this is a completely new experience for me. I think I had way to much fun setting up my private personal settings, perhaps the point? User Systems and all that jazz at work maybe?
So what did I take away from class today? I was shocked about the Wikipedia fact. In my undergrad at Cortland (in History) I was taught by my professors never to use Wikipedia. It is a "democratic encyclopedia" and they would fail anyone that used it as a citation. So when Prof. Lankes said it was the most used citation source by Librarians I was completely floored, like mouth hanging open and everything. Surprised no one else noticed me. It's been ingrained in me that it's not a reliable source of any sort. Further knowledge that History majors are stuck in the past, ha-ha.
And I'm a hundred percent positive that the above statement is exactly what we were supposed to take out of class today. Wikipedia was the complete point of the lecture. So I will try now to be more relevant to the assignment.
What else.....
So I love the fact that 511 is like a forum class. We come in and we discuss what we want to discuss, in a way. Structured chaos I guess. I wish we could have a course of that sort every semester.If I'm correct in my thinking, one of the points of this course is if I didn't think of a question while in class, which I never do, I could have the option of asking it in a relevant atmosphere. Which is awesome! And it would be open to discussion to basically the same group of people that would be in the other class with me anyways.
I also enjoyed the fact that we looked at Libraries through the ages today. I know so many people that think that the Librarian profession was created by Benjamin Franklin. DRIVES ME CRAZY! I mean come on! Illuminated texts! Alexandria! "The Book of the Dead!" Again, History major! I can go on for hours.
I do have to say, that up until just a couple weeks ago, I was one of those people who thought books=libraries. But the more reading I've done and the more I've attempted to understand the giant leap I've just taken, I've realized exactly what I have not been getting out of my school libraries, ha-ha. I never realized that librarians were there for that! Help me with my research! I'm sorry, but I've never had a librarian come up and offer to help me with my research, and if they did, I did not realize that's what they were trying to convey to me.
I'm such a book person. I don't have a kindle and I don't know if I want one. I love opening a book, smelling a book, handling books. When I see or get to handle a big old ancient book I get that chill down my back when I think of other people who have touched and used this book as well. I interact with my books in ways that people can't interact with a computer screen. I write in them, highlight them to death, buy a second one so I have a fresh copy sitting around, thumb the pages and smell that sweet booky smell. If the world around me got rid of books entirely I would not be a very happy individual.
Um....I'm not sure what else to write, as soon as I set this in stone I'll think of this brilliant thing to write and I'll just have to comment on my own blog. Hope that this was a "typical" blog and that I'm not missing anything here.
So what did I take away from class today? I was shocked about the Wikipedia fact. In my undergrad at Cortland (in History) I was taught by my professors never to use Wikipedia. It is a "democratic encyclopedia" and they would fail anyone that used it as a citation. So when Prof. Lankes said it was the most used citation source by Librarians I was completely floored, like mouth hanging open and everything. Surprised no one else noticed me. It's been ingrained in me that it's not a reliable source of any sort. Further knowledge that History majors are stuck in the past, ha-ha.
And I'm a hundred percent positive that the above statement is exactly what we were supposed to take out of class today. Wikipedia was the complete point of the lecture. So I will try now to be more relevant to the assignment.
What else.....
So I love the fact that 511 is like a forum class. We come in and we discuss what we want to discuss, in a way. Structured chaos I guess. I wish we could have a course of that sort every semester.If I'm correct in my thinking, one of the points of this course is if I didn't think of a question while in class, which I never do, I could have the option of asking it in a relevant atmosphere. Which is awesome! And it would be open to discussion to basically the same group of people that would be in the other class with me anyways.
I also enjoyed the fact that we looked at Libraries through the ages today. I know so many people that think that the Librarian profession was created by Benjamin Franklin. DRIVES ME CRAZY! I mean come on! Illuminated texts! Alexandria! "The Book of the Dead!" Again, History major! I can go on for hours.
I do have to say, that up until just a couple weeks ago, I was one of those people who thought books=libraries. But the more reading I've done and the more I've attempted to understand the giant leap I've just taken, I've realized exactly what I have not been getting out of my school libraries, ha-ha. I never realized that librarians were there for that! Help me with my research! I'm sorry, but I've never had a librarian come up and offer to help me with my research, and if they did, I did not realize that's what they were trying to convey to me.
I'm such a book person. I don't have a kindle and I don't know if I want one. I love opening a book, smelling a book, handling books. When I see or get to handle a big old ancient book I get that chill down my back when I think of other people who have touched and used this book as well. I interact with my books in ways that people can't interact with a computer screen. I write in them, highlight them to death, buy a second one so I have a fresh copy sitting around, thumb the pages and smell that sweet booky smell. If the world around me got rid of books entirely I would not be a very happy individual.
Um....I'm not sure what else to write, as soon as I set this in stone I'll think of this brilliant thing to write and I'll just have to comment on my own blog. Hope that this was a "typical" blog and that I'm not missing anything here.
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