Bernie,
I just want to admit that you have a really good point, which I'd be foolish to discount. After all, I did say that if we gave the data away it *will be* perceived as valueless....
That may be true some, or even most of the time, but not all the time. I can't say, for example, that a library-using scholar who knew the value of the data and was also an excellent computer programmer would all of a sudden not appreciate it if it were given to him for free...
Still, when we are dealing with limited funds, we do need to make choices - and I submit that the question therefore does have some relevance in that it makes us think about what we would pay for. (I know that a lot of the stuff I get for free on the web [podcasts] I would not pay for if I had to, either because I may be able to get acceptable alternatives for free, or because I can't afford it)
So, if all the data from the 100s of sources Google uses weren't free but had a price tag - and Google had more limited funds - what would they choose?
Regards,
Nathan Rinne
Media Cataloging Technician
Educational Service Center
11200 93rd Avenue North
Maple Grove MN. 55369
Email: rinnen_at_district279.org
-----Original Message-----
From: Next generation catalogs for libraries [mailto:NGC4LIB_at_LISTSERV.ND.EDU] On Behalf Of Rinne, Nathan (ESC)
Sent: Wednesday, September 16, 2009 1:51 PM
To: NGC4LIB_at_LISTSERV.ND.EDU
Subject: Re: [NGC4LIB] $$$ Library data is the best $$$
Bernie,
I understand what you are saying. After all, they do say that the best things in life are free, and I agree with that. So... I guess we'd have to ask: if they were both 40.00 and you only had 40.00, what would you do? : )
Regards,
Nathan Rinne
Media Cataloging Technician
Educational Service Center
11200 93rd Avenue North
Maple Grove MN. 55369
Email: rinnen_at_district279.org
-----Original Message-----
From: Next generation catalogs for libraries [mailto:NGC4LIB_at_LISTSERV.ND.EDU] On Behalf Of B.G. Sloan
Sent: Wednesday, September 16, 2009 1:20 PM
To: NGC4LIB_at_LISTSERV.ND.EDU
Subject: Re: [NGC4LIB] $$$ Library data is the best $$$
Nathan said: "The question you need to ask is whether you would pay for the NY Times online."
The NY Times used to charge for much of its online content. I didn't pay for it. Now that it's free I use it a lot, and I value it highly.
The second example I used is sort of the reverse. I used to get access to Birds of North America Online for free. Then my free access stopped. I now pay $40 a year. I don't value it any more highly now because I pay for it.
--- On Wed, 9/16/09, Rinne, Nathan (ESC) <RinneN_at_DISTRICT279.ORG> wrote:
> From: Rinne, Nathan (ESC) <RinneN_at_DISTRICT279.ORG>
> Subject: Re: [NGC4LIB] $$$ Library data is the best $$$
> To: NGC4LIB_at_LISTSERV.ND.EDU
> Date: Wednesday, September 16, 2009, 11:50 AM
> Bernie,
>
> What appeared between the "..." in that quote from Jane
> Jacobs' earlier
> post was the reason for her making the statements that she
> did. She put
> forth some pretty convincing actual evidence (dealing with
> pharmaceuticals) to support her view, which, generally
> speaking, if not
> true all the time and in every circumstance, is at least
> true part of
> the time in some circumstances.
>
> "The web is full of free things that people value highly. I
> value my
> daily use of of the NY Times online. Would I value it more
> if I had to
> pay for it? No."
>
> The question you need to ask is whether you would pay for
> the NY Times
> online. I also consume vast quantities of free online
> content (isn't it
> great?), much that I really do value and like. But
> how much of it would
> I pay for if I had to? That would cause me to think
> more critically -
> and have to make some tough decisions about which valuable
> stuff I
> really felt I needed to buy.
>
> Also, let me clarify that I was not saying we should be
> selling our data
> for $ - just saying how immensely valuable it is.
>
>
> Back to my point about how we need to be a little more bold
> about
> touting the valuable stuff we have (in other words, how
> could we best
> argue for our infrastructure?) First of all, we must
> more deeply
> realize - or even begin to realize? - that we will not be
> able to
> improve any technique or service ***unless we look
> carefully at exactly
> what makes it work when it works just as much as what makes
> it fail when
> it fails*** (see David Bade's stuff)
>
> Thankfully, we - *and others to* - can do this with our
> stuff, because
> it is open and transparent. With Google, its all an
> insider's game.
> Again, it doesn't bother us now...
>
> Regards,
> Nathan Rinne
>
> Media Cataloging Technician
>
> Educational Service Center
>
> 11200 93rd Avenue North
>
> Maple Grove MN. 55369
>
> Email: rinnen_at_district279.org
>
> Nathan Rinne
>
> Media Cataloging Technician
>
> Educational Service Center
>
> 11200 93rd Avenue North
>
> Maple Grove MN. 55369
>
> Email: rinnen_at_district279.org
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Next generation catalogs for libraries
> [mailto:NGC4LIB_at_LISTSERV.ND.EDU]
> On Behalf Of B.G. Sloan
> Sent: Wednesday, September 16, 2009 10:35 AM
> To: NGC4LIB_at_LISTSERV.ND.EDU
> Subject: Re: [NGC4LIB] $$$ Library data is the best $$$
>
> Nathan Rinne cites Jane Jacobs' earlier post where she
> says:
>
> "As for the rest of the non-bibliographic world, perhaps
> the data is
> perceived as lacking in value BECAUSE it is largely
> free!...I really
> think that it may be the availability NOT the
> inaccessibility of MARC
> records that make some people ignore them or question their
> value!"
>
> In other words: people don't value things they get for
> free. I don't
> know that I buy into that adage anymore. It seems rather
> old school in
> this day and age. The web is full of free things that
> people value
> highly. I value my daily use of of the NY Times online.
> Would I value it
> more if I had to pay for it? No. I pay $40 a year for a
> subscription to
> Cornell University's Birds of North America Online, a
> resource I consult
> often. Would I value it less if I got it for free? No.
>
> Bernie Sloan
>
>
>
>
>
>
Received on Thu Sep 17 2009 - 08:44:56 EDT