I see nothing, I know nothing (with apologies to Schultz)

Okay somehow I got behind in the 23 Things. But I am trying to get caught up today.

Library 2.0--where do I start? I think there are a lot of libraries around the country doing some really awesome patron centered things. I was surprised to see that the posting from Blyberg was in 2006. Darien has been doing some great things with their catalog and allowing patrons to tag items. I have never been a "libraries are sacred" type of librarian. But the thought of the public mucking about in the catalog has me lying awake at night shuddering. Maybe I am a condescending librarian? I do think that there are cataloging terms that are just plain crazy. The example I remember from library school is Swine, the LC term used for pig. Sure Swine is the right word but how many people go around saying they want to raise a pot pelly swine? Or a kid asking for that book where the spider is friends with the awesome, terrific swine? In that sense I think a better job could be done by the public.

If Library 2.0 means patron centered I do think that is a good thing. It can be risky. I have seen staff members post items on a library's blog that were inappropriate. So what would happen when it was opened to the public? Maybe I have had too many trojans and worms on my home computer to trust the public.

Stephen Abrams talked about how we as librarians needed to immerse ourselves in the new technology in order to really understand it. I don't agree with that. Isn't the main characteristic of a librarian someone who knows a little about a lot and where to find the rest out? I don't have to have spent all night honing my Second Life to know what it is about. Why do we as librarians have to serve as the all knowing information source for technology? I don't know how to train a dog, I know how to find a book or a website or a video that can show you how to do it. I don't think I have to have an iPod to understand the basics of it. I do know how to search our OPAC and find a book about iPods and all the things you can do with them. (A suggested title: iPod Fully Loaded: If you've got it you can iPod it or How to do everything: iPod and iTunes). We (librarians) have never been expected to know how to garden or fix a big block engine so why would we know be expected to know how to download a song from iTunes to an mp3 player? I think if my library started loaning mp3 players that would be a different situation and I would need to know how to download and troubleshoot that particular player.

Am I being reactionary? I like to think I embrace technology but I don't think I have to be involved with everything out there just so I can help a patron. In my reference class in library school, we weren't allowed to be a source EVEN if we knew the answer. We were taught you always looked up and gave the patron the citation of where you find the answer. But with some aspects of Library 2.0, we seem to be saying that we ARE the acceptable source/citation.

Now that I sound like a complete head in the sand, tell me when it's over luddite I guess I can't extoll on how much *I* personally embrace technology. I have a myspace and a facebook page. I have used IM for over ten years. Back before the internet when I was a wee little freshman in college ('88-'89) I remember staying up all night chatting on relay through bitnet. The light of the amber screen was so soothing, plus my friends and I could talk to guys all over the US and even other countries. And before you think--total geek, I was at a very small college in Vermont and when there was two feet of snow and the snot would freeze in your nose when you went outside, there wasn't a lot to do except go to the computer lab in the basement and flirt with guys over the computer who were probably even sadder than we were. The alternative was to study.