The entry I have specified here has everything to do with what has been on my mind library science-wise as of late. That being Web 2.0 concerns. I'm concerned with my adaptability and my ability to accept and embrace change! Achk!
(Audrey repeats mantra, 'I like to try new things, I like to try new things.....')
Cushing Academy of New England has gone digital. By that I mean they have gotten rid of all books and traded them in for 18 "electronic readers" made by amazon.com and Sony. I'm a bit concerned, alarmed even. At the same time I am very much interested to see how this progresses. Is this a new example of the vinyl vs. digital format argument that once concerned me? Sure, digital format is superior in sound quality, but there is something about the act of taking a record out of it's many sleeves to hear a sound that makes me feel truly warm and fuzzy. In the end, digital wins. But, that argument never ran the risk of potentially making us stupider.
Here is an interesting point brought up by librarian.net:
I'm not saying, personally, that this may not be the way of the future for libraries. And I’m also not saying that you might not be able to do an awful lot of research via online texts — one of the departments in favor of this move is the math department, for example — and that these sorts of moves will have to be made if we want to get from where we are now to the library of the future. But, I’m still not feeling that this sort of “Eh the books were taking up too much space” move is really the way to go. Calling a book “pretty bulky” is not really a good argument for why you shouldn’t have them. You can read this speech by James Tracy talking about his vision of a future world.
...Maybe this is a personal issue? I understand that ultimately this is the way of the future. But, this drastic of a change? Is this a reflection into one's future as an information provider?
