Seth's Blog: The future of the library

They can't survive as community-funded repositories for books that individuals don't want to own (or for reference books we can't afford to own.) More librarians are telling me (unhappily) that the number one thing they deliver to their patrons is free DVD rentals. That's not a long-term strategy, nor is it particularly an uplifting use of our tax dollars.

via sethgodin.typepad.com

This is a topic critically important to us all. The collection, categorization and maintenance (and preservation) of the content we produce is the pursuit of the librarian, archivist and historian. Our libraries have suffered not so much from lack of interest as much as from lack of funding.

I endorse Seth's view that we need to leadership to redirect us back to these resources - and in my view - the funds will follow. Our libraries can return to the destination they have been for centuries.

Digital or not - information needs to be managed and accessible - and libraries are the perfect delivery system both offline and online.

Comments

[Timothy Lepczyk]

1.

I think Seth has gotten this one wrong. You can read more of what I think at http://digitaldunes.blogspot.com/2010/01/its-2010-lets-make-forecasts-about.html

[Blane Warrene]

2.

Thanks for commenting Nicola. I definitely cannot speak for Seth - but in the case of my syndicating his post and adding my commentary, I was thinking particularly of public libraries. I whole heartedly agree that the work of "private" librarians and historians is worth every penny and more. Actually - it is a growing job sector - though frequently lumped into historians. On the public library front - my lament is the lack of focus nby our communities in placing a higher priority on investing in keeping pace with technology in the public library. I agree with Seth that on this front we need the intellectual champions to promote this better. It starts with us speaking more loudly to those representing the public dollars.

[Nicola Franklin]

3.

I would take exception to your assetion that all information is free Seth. Academic, business, medical and legal texts and information (whether on legal precedent, company financial data, latest medical evidence base, etc) is not free and not easy to find - try asking Bloomberg or Reuters or Lexis Nexis to hand over their information for free!

Apart from librarians working in public libraries, there are also many corporate librarians working in businesses, hospitals, law firms, and so on searching out and making available information that helps these organisations function effectively.

Information professionals like these may well need stronger leadership and more advocacy, both within their organisations to demonstrate their value to snr management and externally to the wider public, but they are certainly not redundant in todays information-overload world.