Technology is a part of our lives now.  In libraries we are inundated with news of new resources, devices and formats.  As soon as we invest in one, it seems to change and become obsolete.  How are we to decide which technologies to use?

There are two approaches.  The first looks at all the cool new technology and asks, "How can we use these?"  This approach starts with a technology and then builds policy and services around it.  As a result, if asked why they use a particular technology, they may respond that everyone is using it, or that it is just cool.

The approach that I like best is what we see in Instructional Design.  It asks. "What is our objective," then asks, "what technology best serves this objective."  Those who favor this approach to technology see technology as a means to an end.  In this way, the use of technologies is more strategic.

Technology is a tool to serve us.  We should  not be slaves to technology. In the end, we cannot use every social networking site, every format or every new thing that comes along.  We have to be judicious.

New Year (In June)

In many academic libraries, the new fiscal year starts in June.  I have spent much of this week planning  for the next stage or our new library.  All of a sudden, it struck me how strange it felt to think of a "new year" in June. I felt out of time, like I had just missed Christmas and January 1.  Or perhaps it felt like I had just lost half a year.  I am living in two times, and right now I am feeling a bit of dissonance.  It is almost like waking up from a vivid dream only to find that the week that you dreamed about did not happen.

Still, I am excited about the coming year.  We will have some new firsts: new students; new resources; new challenges and new spaces.  In the (paraphrases) words of the professor from Back to the Future, the future is not written yet, it can be anything that we want it to be.  Happy New ( Fiscal) Year to all of you academics!

Why I keep doing it

I have been doing a log of cataloging lately. I am now a solo librarian at a graduate school.  As a solo librarian, I have to be able to do everything. We have been fortunate to receive hundreds of great books in donations.  I am anxious to get as many of these as possible on the shelves as quickly as possible.  Cataloging is not my favorite part of library work.  I know of many people who love cataloging.  I tend to lean more towards public services. In my last post, I mentioned that I once was given a button that said, "Cataloging is a public service."  I continue to spend time every day cataloging because, as I read through all that code, I have the end users in mind.  I am thinking of the students who will be doing important projects and may need the book that I am cataloging at that time.  This keeps me going.

A Short Praise for Catalogers

When I was in Library School, I was given a lapel pin that said, “Cataloging is a public service.” Having worked for several years in public service, I can attest to the benefit of good cataloging. All of those little details that catalogers love to fuss over do make items more retrievable. I have also experienced the frustration of items that seemed to have disappeared because they were mis-cataloged. In my library, I try to make sure that our catalogers know how important they are. They are not just the bodies hovering over computers in a back room: they are my partners in getting the right information to the right people. I couldn’t do what I do without them.