Seth Godin, the marketing guru, published a blog this week entitled The Future of the Library. As with all things that revolve around the profession, professionals are taking stands on both sides of the fence. That's a good thing because it shows we give a shit what people are saying about us.
I'm going to come down on Godin’s side. I agree with a lot of his statements especially from the aspect of a corporate/special librarian. As a colleague of mine said, many of the activities and philosophies he talks about for the next generation library are already being engaged in by special librarians.
Godin pretty much described my job with the following: The librarian isn't a clerk who happens to work at a library. A librarian is a data hound, a guide, a sherpa and a teacher. Damn straight! I'm not a guy who just checks out books and magazines and processes paper work. I'm a detective. (When asked what I do by people, I often tell them I'm an "information broker" if I think they won't understand what the modern librarian does.) I find information and I help make that information meaningful.
Godin also talks about the plethora of access the majority of people have to information, rendering the library as a storehouse somewhat obsolete. I think he's got this mostly correct, but is missing the point that most people miss. He states: [Clients] need a librarian more than ever (to figure out creative ways to find and use data). They need a library not at all. He also asks the question: Is there any doubt that online resources will get better and cheaper as the years go by? I completely agree that the librarian can help people find and use data and that access to data is increasing (although I disagree with the cost part). I also think, however, that the librarian plays a central role in managing a centralized repository of information. Godin infers that the library is a storehouse for dead trees, and I'd agree with that in the present state. But libraries are moving forward to becoming increasingly digital. And while I love physical books for what they represent, most of my clients could care less either way. They are interested in the content of those books regardless of the format. What's still important is a central, single, trusted location where clients can go to get that information, whether it’s physical or digital. Additionally having that information organized and managed is critical. So Godin gets the librarians-can-help-you-find-things aspect of the profession. He misses, as most folks outside the profession do, the librarians-can-help-you-organize-things part of the profession. That’s forgivable.
In the end, I thought Godin's article was very flattering to librarians and their skill sets. Check it out and see for yourself.
I'm going to come down on Godin’s side. I agree with a lot of his statements especially from the aspect of a corporate/special librarian. As a colleague of mine said, many of the activities and philosophies he talks about for the next generation library are already being engaged in by special librarians.
Godin pretty much described my job with the following: The librarian isn't a clerk who happens to work at a library. A librarian is a data hound, a guide, a sherpa and a teacher. Damn straight! I'm not a guy who just checks out books and magazines and processes paper work. I'm a detective. (When asked what I do by people, I often tell them I'm an "information broker" if I think they won't understand what the modern librarian does.) I find information and I help make that information meaningful.
Godin also talks about the plethora of access the majority of people have to information, rendering the library as a storehouse somewhat obsolete. I think he's got this mostly correct, but is missing the point that most people miss. He states: [Clients] need a librarian more than ever (to figure out creative ways to find and use data). They need a library not at all. He also asks the question: Is there any doubt that online resources will get better and cheaper as the years go by? I completely agree that the librarian can help people find and use data and that access to data is increasing (although I disagree with the cost part). I also think, however, that the librarian plays a central role in managing a centralized repository of information. Godin infers that the library is a storehouse for dead trees, and I'd agree with that in the present state. But libraries are moving forward to becoming increasingly digital. And while I love physical books for what they represent, most of my clients could care less either way. They are interested in the content of those books regardless of the format. What's still important is a central, single, trusted location where clients can go to get that information, whether it’s physical or digital. Additionally having that information organized and managed is critical. So Godin gets the librarians-can-help-you-find-things aspect of the profession. He misses, as most folks outside the profession do, the librarians-can-help-you-organize-things part of the profession. That’s forgivable.
In the end, I thought Godin's article was very flattering to librarians and their skill sets. Check it out and see for yourself.
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