What a wonderful response! In my graduate classes we have been
hyper-focused on this very issue. How do we as librarians evolve and
continue to be indispensable resources? The future of the brick and
mortar buildings we are accustomed to may indeed change in the course of
the future, but we can adapt and become cybrarians. We need to shed our
stereotypical definition of who we are as librarians and take our place as
information professionals who possess a vast array of knowledge and skills
to make sense of the overwhelming dirth of information out there! That
doesn't mean that all that is traditional must be thrown out, just
adapted. I am always perplexed when asked by my professors to "apply" all
of the various theories and models to come up with the very suggestions
you make here. Wish I would have read your response before I turned in
my paper last night! The theme was the international information economy
and its impact on and implications for librarians. Thanks for a great and
uplifting response! Lisa
dougj@doug-johnson.com writes:
>Hi folks,
>
>I've been half following the conversation evoked by the recommendation
>to read Mr. Herring's article from American Libraries
>http://www.ala.org/alonline/news/10reasons.html. While I agree with most
>of what Mr. Herring has to say (and indeed have written similar
>arguments myself <http://www.doug-johnson.com/dougwri/internet.html>, I
>am beginning to wonder how helpful such articles and arguments really
>are for the health of our profession. The article suggest no way to
>change the situation he finds deplorable.
>
>I don't blame regular folks for increasingly using the Internet rather
>than libraries. Just yesterday, I saved a (short, but darned cold) walk
>across the alley to our lovely high school media center to find a copy
>of R. L. Stevenson's "The Bottle Imp" short story by finding it in less
>than 3 minutes on the web. It is really, really handy to one's
>information needs met right at one's desk or in one's home.
>
>Yet, I have no doubt that SOME libraries will survive despite the
>increasing use of the Internet to fulfill needs previously met by those
>libraries.
>
>The libraries that will continue to thrive will be those which meet real
>needs that CANNOT be met by the Internet (or bookstores or classrooms).
>And defining, discovering and emphasizing those needs is what our
>profession should be doing right now rather than writing
>well-intentioned, but awfully defensive articles like Mr. Herring's.
>
>There are a great number of physical businesses and institutions that
>might very well feel threatened by the increased use of the Internet:
>book stores, travel agents, banks, and stock brokers, just to name a
>few. Even virtual schools are now taking the place of brick and mortar
>buildings for many students. So how are the savvy among these
>institutions surviving? Here are a few things that pop immediately to
>mind:
>
>1. By providing a physical comfort that the Internet does not. I still
>buy books and spend time at our Barnes & Noble because I like having
>coffee there, sitting in the comfy chairs, and handling physical books.
>
>2. By providing expertise that as an Internet user I do not have. My
>travel agent knows more about vacation destinations than I do - or am
>willing to take the time to research and read about on the Internet.
>
>3. By providing "high touch" experiences to offset the "high tech"
>environments. I think it was John Naisbitt in his early '80's book
>Megatrends that predicted that the more people use isolating
>technologies, the greater they will need avenues for face-to-face human
>interaction and socialization. This is why I still like going to the
>public library to read the paper sometimes instead of reading it online
>- I see and meet people there. Internet usage is lonely - even for the
>chronic chatters, I'm guessing.
>
>4. By recognizing and using the Internet to compliment one's business. I
>still value my bank down on Hickory Street despite the fact I can check
>my miserable account balances online, have my paltry paycheck direct
>deposited, visit the impersonal instant tellers to get cash, and pay
>some of my horrendous bills electronically. I don't go in the physical
>building much anymore, but I use their banking services more than ever.
>I don't see the Internet displacing Wells-Fargo anytime soon. Why?
>
>So let's take just these four ways in which a physical experience may be
>superior than a virtual experience (and I am sure there are many more)
>and think about how we in school libraries can capitalize on these
>qualities rather than try to compete head-to-head with the Internet.
>(Darwin called this adaptation and recognized successful species were
>good at it.)
>
>1. Physical comfort and welcoming environment. This means creating a
>library where kids and teachers REALLY like to be. Comfy chairs,
>friendly atmosphere, low-stress, safe, and forgiving. If my library is
>not a wonderful place to be, kids and teachers will stay on the Internet
>or in the classroom. Period. A frightful quote was given in the Pew
>study "Digital Disconnect" by a middle school student: "The Internet is
>like a librarian without the bad attitude or breath." OUCH!
>
>2. Expertise. Classroom teachers still send kids to the library because
>the librarian is better at helping them find information or complete a
>task (especially in technology) than the teacher him/herself can. Do we
>have a curriculum and skills that no one but us CAN teach?
>
>3. Social experiences. Are our libraries places for kids to interact
>with each other in positive ways? Instead of the library being the tomb
>and the study hall/computer lab being socialization central, maybe we
>should reverse those atmospheres.
>
>4. Complimentary use. This means not buying (or buying less of) the
>sorts of things kids are now getting online - paper magazines, current
>events sources, print indices, etc. It means buying more online
>resources since that is the format kids find most usable and convenient.
>It means having a very useable library webpage - tailored specifically
>one's school curriculum - accessible from home. How about providing
>online reference services?
>
>I am deeply troubled by reading about cut after cut after cut in school
>library programs throughout the nation and deeply sympathize with those
>whose jobs are gone and feel their work has not been appreciated. We can
>and should mourn with and for them. (As my father used to say, "There
>but for the grace of God go I."
>
>But as individuals, we cannot let our reactions end with simply being
>rueful - we need to figure out how our services need to change in order
>to meet the needs of teachers and students who DO use the Internet, to
>remain absolutely vital to schools that ARE strapped for funds, and to
>be seen as important by decision-makers who DO allocate funds in
>zero-sum game.
>
>Sorry about the rant here. I hope we all keep thinking about things we
>can do than the Internet can't.
>
>All the best,
>
>Doug
>************
>Doug Johnson
>Director of Media and Technology
>I.S.D. 77, Mankato Public Schools
>Box 8713, Mankato MN 56002-8713
>Voice: 507-387-7698, Fax: 507-387-2496
>E-mail: dougj@doug-johnson.com
>Web: www.doug-johnson.com
>
>"The fates guide those who go willingly; those who do not, they drag."
>Seneca
>
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