::gets out soapbox::
I think the current library strictness and standards regarding privacy are outdated, and potentially harmful to bringing in new and younger users to the library.
If we don't care about people knowing what we buy, who we talk to, or what we eat - why should we care about people knowing what we read?
I think there are two issues of privacy that people DO care about - identity theft, and having their credit card number stolen.
The current generation exists in a world in which EVERYTHING is shared in public - secrets are shared on cell phone conversations held in public, movie rentals are shared through Netflix, personal relationships, ideas, even where we currently are located and what music we are currently listening to is shared on social networking sites, blogs, and cellphones.
The current generation is all about customization, personalization, and sharing. By dis-allowing new technologies such as tagging, friending, sharing of favorite books, and "currently reading" lists on their sites, libraries are disengaging themselves from their current and future users. These new technologies need to be embraced. If the patrons not only don't care about who knows what they're reading - but want to SHARE with others what they are reading (and do so on sites such as LibraryThing, Facebook, and GoodReads) - why should they have to look OUTSIDE their own library to be able to do such things.
Patrons should have the final say over whether they want their information shared or not. They should be able to choose to have no records kept, records shared with friends, or records shared with the general public.
Just my 2 cents..
==Melinda==
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Melinda Gottesman
Reference Librarian/Instructor
University of Central Florida
Received on Sat Feb 02 2008 - 13:02:37 EST