We are. While running the risk of sounding like a handwringing old man
worried about those kids trying to set a record for stuffing themselves
into a phone booth, I do think there are things to take note of (I
certainly felt old hoping that balcony wouldn't break in the JMU video).
Academic libraries have intentionally positioned themselves as a social
center and gathering place for students. This has been at the expense of
space for low use or collections that have often been moved off-site.
For the catalog of the future I believe this reinforces a tendency that
it is not all that critical to provide top-flight access to the physical
collection. With the physical collection on the back burner it is much
easier to forego certain advanced functionality in trade for search
speed, simplicity, and federated results. Certainly other external
consumer search pressures and expectations are at play here as well (who
doesn't like speed and simplicity?).
Anyway, I do see the dotted lines between these dance parties, library
space and collection decisions, and the direction in which the catalog
is moving. Perhaps watching too much Oliver Stone?
I am not pining for the old days of the library as a place for silent
and rigorous contemplation, but do think there is a connection beyond
those crazy kids dancing in the library these days and the direction of
the catalog.
Miksa, Shawne wrote:
> We don't. Students just want to have fun...when the studying day is done.....students just want to have fun...oh oh, students just want to have fun.
>
> **************************************************************
> Shawne D. Miksa, Ph.D.
> Associate Professor
> Department of Library and Information Sciences
> College of Information
> University of North Texas
> email: Shawne.Miksa_at_unt.edu
> http://courses.unt.edu/smiksa/index.htm
> office 940-565-3560 fax 940-565-3101
> **************************************************************
> ________________________________________
> From: Next generation catalogs for libraries [NGC4LIB_at_LISTSERV.ND.EDU] On Behalf Of Weinheimer Jim [j.weinheimer_at_AUR.EDU]
> Sent: Friday, December 11, 2009 6:47 AM
> To: NGC4LIB_at_LISTSERV.ND.EDU
> Subject: [NGC4LIB] The Library of the Future
>
> In case you haven't seen it, take a look at: http://www.libraryjournal.com/article/CA6711077.html?nid=2673&source=link&rid=17549035
>
> Thanks to Nathan Rinne for pointing this out.
>
> How do we make a catalog relevant for this sort of "library of the future"?
>
> Jim
>
> James L. Weinheimer j.weinheimer_at_aur.edu
> Director of Library and Information Services
> The American University of Rome
> Rome, Italy
--
Jimmy Ghaphery
Head, Library Information Systems
VCU Libraries
http://www.library.vcu.edu
--
Received on Fri Dec 11 2009 - 09:59:21 EST