I just read today's post on MaisonBisson about XML and PHP as well as Casey's referenced post on LibDev, and they've got me wondering why it's taking library's so darn long to embrace these technologies and give the patrons what they really want. (Don't come at me with “How do you know”, they've voting with their Google/Amazon feet, folks…) And I'm not leaving myself out of this, granted that everything I want to implement I must first learn, but I'm a smart chick - I easily could've done it by now. So, why?

It occurs to me that this stuff; web 2.0, social software, online communities type stuff - means that we have to surrender all control of our content. We are SO not the gatekeepers anymore. These technologies are asking us to offer up our wisdom, our knowledge, our POWER and allow it to be used in ways we won't necessarily know about, let alone endorse. That, my friends, is scary stuff. I no one can be blamed for letting it freak them out (well, allow me a little blame - buck up buckaroos, it's not so bad, really).

Here's what the fear is blinding us to: this is two-way surrender. Yes, we're giving up control, but we are also enjoying access to other good stuff that will supplement our content and together we're bigger and smarter and brighter than the sum of our parts… sometimes you have to jump before you knowing who's catching you…

This entry was posted on Tuesday, November 22nd, 2005 at 8:44 pm and is filed under Libraries, Services, and Librarians. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.