Rob Styles wrote:
> On 15 Apr 2009, at 15:59, Bernhard Eversberg wrote:
>
> > It is, IOW, high time that OCLC and LC put their cards on the table.
> > They have a tremendous responsibility for the potential of libraries.
>
> They have as much responsibility as you choose to give them. No more,
> no less.
Bravo! Excellent!
This is a completely different world from 25 years ago when individual libraries had few options except following the big boys. It seems as if LC wishes to remove itself from the central position it has always occupied. Very powerful systems can now be downloaded more or less for free off of the web that allow for modularity, true innovation, and sharing on not only a national, but on an international scale.
Again, it is important for libraries to accept that the greatest advances in information science are *not* taking place in libraries. Let's face it: the most we have is RDA?! It's not enough to just convince librarians of its usefulness: there are the people in charge of library budgets, and let's not forget everybody else as well, like Google and Yahoo, who are the real movers and shakers, along with all of the other metadata creators in the world. Some of them are doing some really interesting projects. I don't think anybody genuinely believes that RDA promises anything world-changing at all.
While all of this may be rather humbling in some ways, it also allows for many options not possible before. I personally am very hopeful in this future environment.
Jim Weinheimer
Received on Wed Apr 15 2009 - 13:09:19 EDT