3 Replies to “Mid York Quick Talk”

  1. I Loved your message. Thanks for taking the time to make it. I look forward to hearing you speak when you come to RI in January, 2013. I especially like the slide where you contrast what libraries used to be & what they have become, quiet places to loud places. I struggle with noise issues all the time. Sue

  2. This. 11:21 The short answer for why the protesters protected the Library of Alexandria is that libraries and librarians did their jobs. They came in every day and they worried about their community and they embraced the dreams of their community.

    Now we all have make the jump and start seeing how the people surrounding us in our communities want and need things as urgently as those Egyptian citizens. But we have to be smart about discerning demand. I’m thinking about how people will line up and camp out for the latest iphone release. That’s clearly demand, and sure–extra points for noticing something happening in the greater world, outside the library, but for our purposes that demand for another new screen is a red herring. Honestly, because a library views and answers needs related to power, ownership, autonomy, democracy, the commons, etc., unless those Apple-campers start bringing signs (“We want home-grown apps!” “Expandable Storage NOW!”) which would at least show a scrap of critical engagement in their worlds, I don’t think they have a message for libraries. But how many of us are lending ipads because ‘that’s what people want’?

    Sometimes I worry that as a librarian I’m not allowed to want revolution. I want revolution. Moving the tools and education for creation to the masses, modifying our lending tools to become sharing tools–that shifts power. The time is right to support that shift, and libraries could do it. It’s not a commercial activity, it’s social. Real-social, not Facebook-social. It’s our bag.

  3. Thank you, Dave for doing this for us…..it is compelling and so crucially important. We missed you and are looking forward to your in-person visit in the near future.

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