the digital divide and common sense librarianship

I wrote this post to the TLC list serv today in light of a "debate" of sorts taking place on the listserv. Some users are posting cool and fun new ideas and uses for QR codes-- the little sqaure computer-readable blocks that can take users to a webpage with information. Some school librarians are using them to link books to booktrailers or other info.

Other librarins are wondering if they should be worried about keeping up with that tecnology, since most of the kids don't have smart phones, anyway. Still others are lamenting that THEY do not have smartphones themselves, so how can they keep up? And, maybe even mosre importantly to them, SHOULD the keep up, or even WANT to keep up.

My post:

How do you serve your patrons and be mindful of the digital divide?

It seems like the quintessential dilemma of being damned if I do, and damned if I don’t. But it doesn’t have to be.

If I try to use the cool new tools and show them to my kids—who probably ”have not,” am I letting them see and use new technology or adding to the list of the latest new thing they can’t afford? If I don’t try the new cool tools that are available to me, am I falling behind by each small step that I don’t take? And worse, am I taking my patrons with me?

Perhaps this is your conundrum today.

This blog post by David Rothman at davidrothman.net was brought to my attention today—read it and see if you agree.

Find it at http://davidrothman.net/2011/03/02/common-sense-librarianship-an-ordered-list-manifesto/

Common Sense Librarianship: An Ordered List Manifesto

Common Sense Librarianship
1. The world of information has always been in a constant state of flux. As technology continues to changes the world of information, it is preferable for information professionals and the institutions they serve to adapt rather than perish.

This is not a new idea.

2. The most important qualities an information professional can posses are adaptability, resourcefulness, a habit of looking for better/easier/more efficient ways to do things, creativity, and a love for solving problems.

This is not a new idea.

3. Organizations providing information services should pay as close attention as possible to the needs of those whose information needs they serve. Where these needs can be measured, they should be measured. If you can find something that your library is regarding as more important than user needs, something is very wrong.

This is not a new idea.

4. Whenever possible, obstacles between users and the information they seek should be removed. Among these barriers are academic jargon and expecting users to care about cataloging minutia (it is minutia to them, get over it). Information professionals should be champions of clarity and concision who find accessible ways to describe complex topics.

This is not a new idea.

Much of the above comes from conversations with really smart and insightful people like Amy Buckland, Kathryn Greenhill, Jenica Rogers, and Maurice Coleman.

Any good stuff above should be credited to them. Any stupid stuff should be blamed on me.