Week 6, Thing 15 - Web 2.0, Library 2.0 and the Future

You know, for me, library school was a few short years ago. And I can remember the lengthy discussions on the future of the librarian. With the innovation of the Internet and the new technologies that were being invented left and right, would there really be a need for a librarian? All of the information that a person could possibly need is available in some form, electronically, digitally, or whatever. You can get whatever information your desire - and you don't have to talk to one single person on the way to getting that information. The discussions went round and round, some of the most heated having to do with technolgy and the "older" generation and their fear of it. The balance, I am certain to say, has shifted. There are significantly less people who are fearful of technology. My own mother finally learned how to use the voice mail on her phone (her home phone that is - let's not get too crazy and assume that she has a cell phone!).

The one argument that sticks with me is that most of us library students stood firmly by the fact that humans desire human contact and even though they could get anything they wanted without speaking with another human, they simply wouldn't do it all the time. No, the job of the librarian would be secure - our role may shift a bit, but we'll always be around. What I did not see was that the role of the library was going to change. The library itself has become a hub for technology; and as a result, we will still be in business. As humans, there are two things that we can get from the library: the almighty computer (and the technologies that come with it) and human contact. We like to be in contact with others and the library is a great place to do that. I will admit that I did not see the future and see things like Facebook and myspace, which would bridge the gap between technology and that desire for human contact. Social networking sites are great - they combine these two human needs and the library is a great place to access them.

Now, stepping outside of my librarian self, I will admit that I am not a fan of Facebook or myspace. I believe that the idea of both of these social networking sites is a great idea. However, I think that these sites can get folks in a whole lot of trouble. The newly crowned Miss New Jersey is apparently being blackmailed over some photos that were on her Facebook site from years ago. As an Education professor, my husband has the thankless task of checking various social networking sites for the students that he is teaching. If his students are going to become teachers some day, it is absolutely vital that they are not putting various images of themselves online for their students to see. He had a student recently who was student teaching and his students found his Facebook profile, including pictures of him playing Beer Pong - not ideal for someone teaching middle or high school students.

I know that I've gone off course a bit. I have some very strong feelings about these sites and about the future of libraries. I know that we will always be around because there will always be a desire for information, technology, and human contact. What better place to get all three than at your library?