[253] in Public-Access_Computer_Systems_Forum
Why Librarians Need to Be O
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Jean Polly)
Thu May 14 11:15:56 1992
Date: Thu, 14 May 1992 10:11:45 CDT
Reply-To: Public-Access Computer Systems Forum <PACS-L%UHUPVM1.BITNET@RICEVM1.RICE.EDU>
From: Jean Polly <polly%lpl.org@RICEVM1.RICE.EDU>
To: Multiple recipients of list PACS-L <PACS-L@UHUPVM1.BITNET>
----------------------------Original message----------------------------
Subject: Why Librarians Need to Be On the Net
Karen Lee Martinez <klmartin@med.unc.edu> writes:
>If you think that $240/yr is affordable, then your budget comes from
>a different planet than ours. "Affordable," "reasonable,"...
>these are relative terms. One can hardly keep up with pacs-l
>in 10 hours/mo. It depends on one's frame of reference.
Dr. Herbert White is fond of saying money is always found for the truly
necessary things. The challenge in libraries these days is finding out what
is truly necessary and aiming dollars in that direction.
Some compelling reasons for librarians to be on the net--
1- Professional development
My library, like many others, has cut its travel and continuing education
budget. We can't attend as many conventions as we did in the past. How will
we keep up with what's going on in the field?
Having an electronic pipeline to other librarians is one way to answer this
problem. The internet is an electronic conference going on 24 hours a day, 7
days a week.
Want to know what CD-ROM hardware REALLY works? Post a query to PACS-L in
themorning. By afternoon you'll have a flurry of personal experience from users
all over the globe-- and you'll be a lot farther ahead in knowing what
equipment to buy.
Want to know if any libraries have implemented Total Quality Management
programs?
Post to LIBADMIN and you'll have letters from librarians who have tried it,
written papers evaluating it, and can help you implement it.
The sharing and comparing of problems and solutions from connected
librarians all over the world is one reason to get Internet connectivity
NOW, TODAY!
2- Public Onramps to the NREN
Librarians should find the station and get on the train rather than whine
later when they find that that stop has been discontinued. We need to scout
the resources on the Internet and figure out which ones suit our patrons'
needs, and how we can exploit technology to further the mission of the
public library.
Further, we need to articulate our needs for other resources AND HELP
DEVELOP
them, rather than try to pick up the pieces of bad database and user
interface
design later on. Librarians are experts in these areas and because most of
us are not on the net now our voices aren't heard.
Library voices need to be connected to level the playing field of Internet
and
NREN policy-making. The policy-makers are talking on the net every day. We
can only join the discussion if we're at the table.
Librarians who find themselves and their public shut out of the NREN in a
few short years hence will have no one to blame but themselves.
I think connectivity is critical. For roughly $20 a month PSI gives you all
the email you want for a local call (if you live in one of 50 or so US
cities). There are lots of other ways to get email for less-- FidoNet is
one.
But what's professional development worth, anyway? What are we paying in
professional organization dues? The most exciting developments in
librarianship these days never reach print- they are all online.
*=====================================================================
Jean Armour Polly INTERNET: polly@LPL.ORG or polly@nysernet.org
Liverpool Public Library OTHER: polly@well.sf.ca.us
Liverpool NY USA VISION: "Don't postpone joy!"
"There is no more Far Away." -- David Wilcox, acoustic musician
