People don't use computers for many reasons, we have the
information poor and the
information don't care in Vermont.
source: Vermont Telecommunications plan
How's life at the 3rd largest library in the state?
- management - treats technology as just another resource like books or CDs
doesn't know what a browser is
- staff - alternately critical and uncritically accepting
lead tours bemoaning lack of computer use for research
- patrons - alternately confused/needy and demanding [stupid?]
the more they use tech the more they hate our OPAC
- community - could look to library as a leader, but do they?
DoL anecdote "we have to be mechanics, it's gone from toilets to computers"
Who do we have for leaders?
DoL, Microsoft, local wifi initiatives, education folks?
I work with and for the public. I can use public resources to address various sociopolitical concerns, if I decide to.
- homelessness - library cards for the homeless, safe places to congregate during the day, public restrooms
- unemployment - resume writing books and software, certification tests in online databases, access to daily papers for classified ads
- poverty - limits to fee-based services, equality of access, free programming, free ILL services
- the digital divide - email and technology classes, public computing facilities, free books about technology
What about less obvious, or more nuanced examples?
it's all about choices, and choosing FOR one thing often means choosing AGAINST something else.... like the internet being the world's biggest library.... overt rules and decisions often create unforseen and unintended consequences. I'll talk about a few of them
choices & unintended consequences?
- Hot Tech vs Cold Tech
- DRM - Do you own your ebook? What DO you own? What have you agreed to? [do you own the ability to read it out loud, to sell it, to change the format?]
- RFID - does it conflict with a privacy policy? Do you have a privacy policy? [difference between privacy policy in the US and Europe]
- Following the money leads to....?
["follow the money" example: post 9/11 homeland security, you have technology and you have aggressive marketing of technology]
choices & unintended consequences?
Watch what the salesman says & know what to ask them.
professional ethics, you have divergent goals
antidote: careful planning, current awareness of new technologies & NETWORKING to see what your colleagues are dealing with. Learn the vocab so you can speak effectively to vendors. Don't stop learning just because you don't need to make those choices now.
choices & unintended consequences?
- Money. Are you renting, leasing, or owning?
- Operating system lock-in. Did you choose your OS? Are you aware of any security holes it might have, and the ways to prevent their exploitation? viruses are mostly Windows viruses
- Staff who do not understand technology make bad technological decisions. Purchasing technology is NOT the same as purchasing books, DVDs or office furniture.
antidote:
technology planning will ease the pain, all time spent at home reading
Slashdot is now "research", know that there will always be
some bugs.
choices & unintended consequences?
- buying products that filter for a variety of reasons often means you are overfiltering for whatever your specific purpose is [brief CIPA discussion here about what needs to be filtered by law]
- filters with unknown blacklists/whitelists may be filtering whoknowswhat... do you feel comfortable ceding control?
- DO YOU HAVE A POLICY?
dealing with a lay population who only know about these rules and policies by watching tv, or reading MPAA/RIAA press releases in the media, copyright infringement IS theft? Don't be timid
antidotes:
Peacefire,
further reading,
links about the US/CIPA situation,
open source filtering
choices & unintended consequences?
- Any public institution has to think carefully about going against the wishes of the government for PR reasons among others.
- Conflict in USAPA vs. the 1st Amendment needs to be carefully considered, for example
- track all encroaching legislation and prepare responses before you have to
choices & unintended consequences?
- "chilling effects" of over-self-policing
- passing on misunderstandings to a whole new generation of confused people
- Digital Rights Management may not be based on law, people are basing policy on legislation in some cases not even passed [fair use may allow for copying, for example in certain contexts - government policy policy vs corporate policy]
antidote: how comfortable are you being a test case?
CreativeCommons, stay informed [
ALIA example] and inform others, a pro-active response beats waiting for the knock on the door
People who work with the public need to advocate for people without access or knowledge
as their representative not the vendors' representative, and not as a visitor from the brave new techno-shiny world.
This means not just education, not just experience, but also patience and a lot of empathy.
Jessamyn West is the editor of the weblog
librarian.net and the co-editor of
Revolting Librarians Redux. She is a Hampshire College graduate and has an MLib. from the University of Washington.
Her latest writing about technology appears in the Vermont Library Association newsletter. IM her at
iamthebestartist.
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