|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| home | help | back | first | fref | pref | prev | next | nref | lref | last | post |
Date: Mon, 27 Apr 1992 11:08:23 CDT Reply-To: Public-Access Computer Systems Forum <PACS-L%UHUPVM1.BITNET@RICEVM1.RICE.EDU> From: BUNTON%UTSW.BITNET@RICEVM1.RICE.EDU To: Multiple recipients of list PACS-L <PACS-L@UHUPVM1.BITNET> ----------------------------Original message---------------------------- It is an unfortunate truth that within the profession of librarianship there is such a large population of individuals holding so tightly to the past, seeking any manner of arguing against change, and in the long run restraining the profession from moving forward. In reply to Ms. King's comments: To attempt to use semantic arguments in dealing with the question of automation is simply a waste of time, irrelevant, and an attempt to cloud the issue. (By the way, "universities" are collections of individuals brought together for the purpose of study and learning and therefore a university is able to feel). Other than marketing agents (which no knowledgeable information specialist listens to anyway), I don't know of any computer manufacturers or software designers that have proclaimed "how much better we can perform" using computerized resources. On the contrary, the point has been made continually that we use the products they have developed in a very inefficient and ineffective manner because we refuse to change our own work processes, habits, inclinations, etc. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the world of librarianship. I am unaware who Ms. King knows in positions of making investment decisions regarding automated resources, if anyone, but from my experience, to suggest these individuals are "easy marks" shows a complete ignorance of the real situation. I might even suggest that individuals within library profession in positions which make such decisions are more thorough in their evaluations and assessments of products than most other areas given the limited resources they have to use and the importance of their decisions. Moving us (the library profession) "out of our fantasies" is the least of our problems. Rather, this very attitude is one of the biggest stumblingblocks keepin g our profession from moving forward. This desire to hold on to the past is the very thing allowing our competitors (who are growing stronger) to move forward in developing innovative products, resources, etc., which our patrons jump to while we sit around having this kind of discussion and do nothing. Glenn Bunton Systems Librarian UT Southwestern Medical Center Dallas, Texas bitnet: bunton@utsw
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| home | help | back | first | fref | pref | prev | next | nref | lref | last | post |