Since you asked -- your approach, through this thread at least, has appeared
to me to be combative and dismissive. You deem it "honesty". Others deem
it "condescending". Passion is good. Stridency is not helpful. Strong
opinions are good, but not as weapons. Radical ideas are good, but not as
dares. Real progress in a system as laden with inertia as ours demands
cooperation among and participation by many. Positions stated in a manner
that drives people away from genuine exchange does not engender the
cooperation, participation, thought, and invention and progress that you so
fervently desire.
Janet Swan Hill, Professor
Associate Director for Technical Services
University of Colorado Libraries, CB184
Boulder, CO 80309
janet.hill_at_colorado.edu
*****
"The thing about democracy, beloveds is that it is not neat, orderly, or
quiet. It requires a certain relish for confusion." Molly Ivins
-----Original Message-----
From: Next generation catalogs for libraries
[mailto:NGC4LIB_at_LISTSERV.ND.EDU] On Behalf Of Alexander Johannesen
Sent: Friday, April 23, 2010 3:15 PM
To: NGC4LIB_at_LISTSERV.ND.EDU
Subject: Re: [NGC4LIB] After MARC...MODS?
On Sat, Apr 24, 2010 at 05:49, Janet Hill <Janet.Hill_at_colorado.edu> wrote:
> Actually, your approach is almost guaranteed to cut off conversation and
> discussion rather than stimulate it.
My approach? Dear Madam, but what exactly is my approach? And how am I
getting worse results than other means? I've been on this list since
its inception, I've been working in the library, I've worked outside
of it. I'm a technologist, and a former wannabe librarian. Some days I
take it nice and easy and enjoy the molasses, other days I've fed up
with no progressiveness. My approach is guaranteed to do absolutely
nothing in particular; *you* only react to and see what happens here,
*I* also get reaction and see what happens in private exchanges with
librarians. There's more than one side to this "approach" you seem to
deem judge so poorly. I suspect the thing you dislike with "my
approach" is being too honest about certain things, and heck, yes, you
and many librarians indeed hate confrontation and strong opinions. And
yes, I know I'm stepping on someone's toes through being so strident.
Tough, but I make no apologizes for being passionate about libraries.
> It may be that your experience of
> librarians not "picking up outside hints" has more to do with you than
them.
Yes, I was expecting "the problem is you" from you. And in your world,
I'm sure you're right.
Alex
--
Project Wrangler, SOA, Information Alchemist, UX, RESTafarian, Topic Maps
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Received on Fri Apr 23 2010 - 18:15:48 EDT