Hello all,
This is Dan Lester, still at Boise State’s Albertsons Library for a few more months until retiring on Halloween (which some have suggested is a particularly appropriate date to become a ghost who just won’t go away).
I’d be interested in some discussion, ideas, comments, on how we decide what technologies we should invest in. Remember, there are no free lunches and certainly no free kittens. Even reading the blog, or joining it as an author, has a cost, at least in time. I’m giving a talk on this topic at Internet Librarian in Monterey, CA, in October, thus the request for input. Let me try to explain a bit.
We (meaning libraries, as well as individuals) have sometimes invested in failed technologies and have certainly invested in transitional technologies. I would consider 8 track tapes, videodiscs (the old 12 inch type), ultrafiche and Betamax videos to be failed technologies. They didn’t last long and almost no one can use them any more. I consider phonograph records, audio cassette tapes, and audio CDs to be transitional technologies, as they’ve had a fair run, wide acceptance, and you can still use them, and probably will be able to for a number of years yet.
So what technologies do we, or should we, invest in (time, money, whatever) for our libraries? Why or why not? For example, blogs, nings, twitter, facebook, myspace, second life, etc? I happen to think the blogs are transitional, facebook and myspace are probably transitional, and nings, twitter, and second life doomed to be failures. What do you think? Should we really “get into” Second Life?
I’m also interested in comments on other failed or transitional technologies outside of the library area for comparison. I consider steam cars as failures, but steam railroads as transitional, for example. But please don’t limit yourself in any way. And, if anyone is interested in discussing any of this by email, telephone, or over a cold drink (or hot coffee), let me know. My time is relatively unscheduled and fairly flexible.
dan
Filed under: New Ideas
I would love to hear why you do not believe that steam cars are the way to go. yours respectfully,
J.Barr
hi dan, even if the technologies will come and go, we still have to invest some time, and some money into purchasing and exploring, otherwise we will not satisfy the needs of our users. Our users will see us as obsolete (as they did not so long ago…) if we don’t use the same fad technologies that they do.
That’s why we need to actually invest our time into change – because things will change – they have to. Our customers/users/patrons/researchers bought those 8 tracks and videodiscs. I’m sure some still use them. I for one still use the Gamecube! Even the Gamecube is outdated! BUT!!! Ada Community Library as all the awesome Gamecube games! So I’m totally stoked! I’m a very satisfied user! And I can have them delivered to Boise Public! Go team!
My two cents this morning. Best, Amy
Speaking of technology, I actually had meant the punctuation I was using, I did not mean to put in a smiley face. Darn those smiley faces…
Joseph, let me try to clarify. “I consider steam cars as failures, but steam railroads as transitional, for example.” There may be better examples, but the point is/was that steam cars, despite all of their positive points, failed in the marketplace in a very short period of time, so I consider them failures. Steam railroads lasted for some 150 years (not counting the few remaining for tourists and a few in other countries), so I consider them transitional (replaced by diesel electric).
None of that means that steam cars don’t work, or might not become an acceptable alternative to current hybrids, electrics, or others. The technology works, just as do 8 tracks and ultrafiche and card catalogs. They just aren’t viable alternatives at present.
Hope that clarifies things.
[...] 8 Tracks and Ultrafiche, part two Posted on July 14, 2008 by 08corvette Part one of this post is a few postings down, and I invite you to review it if you’ve not seen it. If you don’t want to scroll, click here and come back after reading: http://c3library.com/2008/07/10/8-tracks-and-ultrafiche/ [...]
I am not sure if this is exactly what you are looking for but I want to add my two cents from the experience I had this year of feeling obliged to create a website for the library even though I didn’t have an online catalog, the resources to keep it up to date, or any idea how to use it as a tool (interactive or otherwise). In retrospect, I regret making the decision to allow it to happen. Now that it exists, I don’t want to take it down but I consider it an improper reflection of the great library I work for simply because it gets little to no attention (unlike everything else).
I share this story with you in case you want to add a word of caution to those you are speaking to so that if/when they do implement some version of technology, they only do so after making sure that they can follow through with the proper care and feeding of that product. Otherwise, they might regret ever buying the kitten.
The one thing I do the most of is blogging – mostly to keep in touch with others who share the same interests. As far as twitter, texting, IM, MySpace, Facebook and whatever other Web 2.0 platforms that exist, I just simply don’t have the time. It’s simply too many options for interacting. In time, I wonder which forms of interaction will survive?
Dan, your post caused quite a bit of discussion at our library. Some staff members find new technologies fascinating, others want to go back to the charging trays (which wasn’t all that long ago!). As much as some of us would love to explore all the new and fun technologies there is, as melanes said, simply no time. We feel like we’re doing well using the things that do save us time…IM between branches and our desks, discussions on a Google Group have replaced half our staff meetings, we keep our procedures up to date on a wiki, and staff ‘attends’ online classes. If we don’t use a technology regularly, it gets pushed to the bottom of the priority list. Maybe someday we’ll Twitter. Right now we’re just happy to have all these people in the library taking up our time!