The conventional wisdom of being connected has changed even since the articles were written and videos created and it seems that all types of boundaries are being changed or erased. Certainly libraries are no longer limited by brick and mortar boundaries, though many people still view the library that way. It was interesting to see Wikipedia being quoted by the experts, when even two years ago most reference librarians looked at that as a starting point from which to move on to a more legitimate source.
For many people with adequate access to up-to-date technologies, the globalization of communication and transparency of information seems to be quite desirable, but for many, the digital divide continues to widen and creates a greater disparity between the haves and the have-nots. I particularly lament the overwhelming use of connective technologies for people who cherish their privacy and prefer not to put thoughts and lives on the internet where anyone can corrupt the information or worse, but there is little way to preserve privacy without going off the grid, a step few people can afford to take.
That being said, it is an interesting time in the land of libraries as we continue to provide what patrons want in the formats they want and communicate with them via varied communication paths.
No comments:
Post a Comment