Mostly I like technology in the library.
I like the access to a vast range of information it gives to people so that they can follow their interests. On-line CD-ROMS, books, microform allow the vast range of human knowlege to be transmitted.
At times I find the contents ghastly, vastly uninteresting and simply wonder how or why some of the people who vegetate in front of screens watching You tube all day and chatting but then I realise that they would probably think the same about me and my interests... anyway it is just an extension of what we did (and still do) with books anyhow....
The flexibility that keyword searching has bought to reference work is perhaps the greatest boon... remember looking up the printed journal indexes. Only 1 or 2 access points inability to combine concepts...
Speedy communications with researchers and resources over vast distances is also fantastic whether by chat, or telephone or e-mail....
At the moment I don't see a whole lot of use for much of the Web 2.0 advances (!) in reference work (ie what I do) however in other aspects of the library such as education, marketing and promotion. It might be of particular use in the public library environment.
Tagging though, and its applications within library catalogues and the like that allow for additional pathways to information is a useful reference work 2.0 application.
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
#13 Technology
