Idaho Commission for Libraries

Technology is wonderful. Sometimes. But. I had 575 (no, I didn’t add a digit) comments on one of my posts - pornographic links that also showed up in my email inbox. The email names were pretty humorous, actually, but it certainly shows the dark side of technology.

Please let us know if this happens to you! (You can’t miss it, when your adminstrator sends a message: “Your mailbox is over its limit” and you have 600 new messages overnight!)

Jan

I keep going back to the UTNE article that says that libraries are in danger of becoming alike - looking like the Big Box bookstores, having the same set of popular materials on the shelf. One size fits all… One of the points is that libraries need to customize to their clientele - local and unique items.

As Pullman struggles with the possibility of a Super-Sized WalMart, there have been lots of comments in the paper both pro and con. The stores in Moscow that survived the first onslaught of WalMart did so by offering unique items that couldn’t be obtained elsewhere. And yet, it’s very frustrating, as a committed non-WalMart shopper, that there are some items that can only be found at WalMart (in the limited shopping area of Moscow-Pullman.)

The future truly is the place where no one has gone before. There seem to be so many trends that we're barely taking advantage of. (And should we?) I feel that especially when I visit Seattle. My family lives on their cell phones - text messages, photos, etc. Meanwhile, like many in northern Idaho, I don't even own a cell phone.

I thought I was the only person who reads Utne! I also read Mother Jones, but perhaps that’s more information about my political persuasion than I should give.

I also went back and read Mike’s post about why we exist, and should we continue to exist? It hasn’t been all that long that libraries have existed for the public (as a public good, as Rich so eloquently points out.) I read a book (I forget the title, but can find it again) that is a primary source about jobs that existed a century ago: jobs such as wheelwright, ironmonger, etc. that largely don’t exist anymore. Many of the chapters dealt with how people coped as their jobs disappeared beneath their feet. Is there anything that guarantees the further existence of libraries? Not everything lasts forever.

I'm struck by this thought when I read these posts - what about browsing? I wonder if the focused search - i.e. knowing exactly what is "needed" will be the demise of wonderful serendipious finds?

I tried to post yesterday. I finally managed to find a spot where the wireless signal was strong enough to connect. But the wireless service provider evidently doesn’t support blogging, because each time I tried to "publish" (or even save), the message disappeared.

It's been a full day. There have been so many thoughts and ideas that I hardly know where to begin. I hope that some of you have been able to see the video of the main speakers.

The SLC Library (The City Library) is remarkable - an impressive entrance with shops (Urban Room), an atrium, wireless and ethernet connections, self-checkout, a 3-tiered fireplace, meeting rooms and auditorium. Very welcoming. Truly a community space.