In blog years, this one is ancient, but I was reminded of it by recent reading online. Michael Gorman took a lot of gripe for his comments about blogs and what it means to be among the Blog People:

A blog is a species of interactive electronic diary by means of which the unpublishable, untrammeled by editors or the rules of grammar, can communicate their thoughts via the web.

What jumped out at me, though, is whether Gorman broke his own rule in Our Singular Strengths: “Respect all forms by which knowledge is communicated.” This is according to a wikipedia entry, and therefore I am not sure of how well it reflects what Gorman actually wrote.

Since I have not read this work and cannot answer it for myself, but I have just placed a request for the book at my library. To be continued…

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An extremely important point by Lorcan Dempsey on the impact of technology on libraries and the academic world:

In fact, the effect of technology on research and learning behaviours will have a greater impact than the direct effect of technology on library systems and services themselves.

It is very important to understand that library work exists in support of the information and research needs of patrons and are rarely is an end in itself. This comment comes out of a discussion of the role of the library in a networked world of “Amazoogle.”

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With the latest issue of American Libraries comes ALA’s strategic plan, entitled ALA Ahead to 2010. The plan is comprised of six goals, each supplied with a goal statement and strategic objectives.

Here’s goal number two:

Goal Statement: Through its leadership, ALA ensures the highest quality graduate and continuing education opportunities for librarians and library staff.

Strategic Objectives:

1. Ensure that accreditation standards reflect the needs and core values of the profession.
2. Increase availability of and access to continuing education and continuous learning opportunities for librarians and library staff.
3. Make ALA continuing education programs and publications affordable and accessible in a wide variety of media and formats.
4. Establish standards for educational programs for library support staff.

I wonder if we all believe that we’re getting the amount of continuing education that we need to stay competent in our jobs. Since we all come from such different angles, I wonder if everyone could chime in about their educational opportunities (or lack there of), and how they measure up to ALA’s goal.

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In the new issue of American Libraries (December 2005), Michael Gorman uses his “President’s Message” column to endorse the increase in ALA membership dues. As a small article a few pages later indicates, if a proposal to do so is approved at Midwinter, the issue will go out as a ballot to ALA members. We will either have to agree or disagree to the dues increase.

While his message makes a bow to what he considers “lower-paid librarians,” or those earning less than $25,000 per year, Gorman fails to mention the low, low wages and salaries earned by most professional librarians across the board.

I support the increase and I plan to vote “yes.” But increasingly I recognize that “librarian culture” is often a culture of sacrifice. How can we keep paying more into our professional development and not command higher salaries in return?

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This is directly from the latest issue of OCLC Abstracts (I claim fair use in the spirit of collegial discussion):

In the report The Future of Libraries: Beginning the Great Transformation, the DaVinci Institute, a nonprofit futurist think tank, has put together 10 key trends that are affecting the development of the next generation library. They are:

1. Time compression is changing the lifestyle of library users
2. Libraries are transitioning from a center of information to a center of culture
3. We are transitioning from a product-based to an experience-based economy
4. The stage is being set for a new era of global systems
5. The demand for global information is growing exponentially
6. Over time, we will be transitioning to a verbal society
7. Search technology will become increasingly more complicated
8. We haven’t yet reached the ultimate small particle for storage, but will soon
9. All technology ends and all technologies commonly used today will be replaced by something new
10. Communication systems are continually changing the way people access information

Their recommendations:
1. Evaluate the library experience
2. Preserve the memories of your own communities
3. Embrace new information technologies
4. Experiment with creative spaces so the future role of the library can define itself

Thought provoking indeed! As thought provoking as Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes!

(I’m not going to comment on this just yet, but I thought others might like to make some comments on some of these points?)

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I wonder if you (friends) could give me recommendations about library articles concerned with instruction. Particularly, if you know of any articles that would provide a good exemplar for what an article on instruction should be: what it should include, etc.

If you’ve got it, you might need to print and mail it – unless its on the free Web. I’d appreciate it.

I’m working on an article idea in my head, and would like to know the effort it would take to realize it.

Thanks in advance for your good offices.

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Circulators, have you seen this?

Library Success: A Best Practices Wiki

It looks like it could be useful resource once it fills up. Plus it will be funny to see if a wiki war breaks out in the Library Website Hall of Fame.

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