I think that this is actually "late" (see Muddiest Point") but I did do the assigned work and hope that "better late than never" is true here.
I must admit that I truly got a lot out of the OCLC article. While dry and longwinded, it seemed to describe what is the current situation where I work. Our small college library is a well-used information center. We strive to be the place on campus that students can come to for just about any kind of information they need. We struggle with container issues, though. I find that the students we see are so accustomed to "instant gratification" that the thought of not being able to use a few keystrokes to find the answer to a question or to do research is almost more than they can fathom. I mean no disrespect, just a comment on how modern technology has affected patience levels. Faster is not always better. Although digital storage has forever changed libraries for the better, in terms of what they can offer and how much, we need to be careful not to replace the "container" without replacing or at least modifying the instruction for their use.
I read with glee (not really, but I was excited) the Lied Library article. As I mentioned before, I work in a small college (2000 students) library. I am happy to say that although we are no UNLV library, we have just about all of the tech that they have. I realize that the Lied Library was completed in 2001 but it has been continually updated, as ours has been. Having the tech without the support and training is pointless, though. The Lied Library impressed me greatly with the resources (not just $) that they put toward their improvement and how to stay current. Having regular schedules for computer replacement is simple idea but shows an obvious commitment to all things current.
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3 comments:
Alison,
I found your comment about "instant gratification" very interesting and true. I work in a public library and have noticed how people, of all ages, become annoyed when the item they want has been checked out. They want to know when it will be checked in and why it's not available to them right now. I wonder how much of this attitude is due to recent technological advances (smartphones and laptops) or is it just part of general human nature? What do you think?
Elizabeth Griswold
Hi Alison,
It is interesting to hear the perspective of a librarian. I will agree that technology has decreased the level of patience...I myself being a victim. Thanks for putting that into perspective.
I agreed with what you said about the technology of the UNLV library and small college libraries. Though I've never actually worked at a library, I attended Lafayette College, a small liberal arts college, and used the library for four years as a student and also did a semester long internship at the library. Lafayette too, though being small and servicing far fewer users, seemed to match up with the UNLV standards. Perhaps this is because the article was somewhat dated and most libraries today have been pushing to meet those standards. Regardless, it seems as though most libraries today are on the same track, regardless of size.
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