Some of our most interesting discussions have arisen during the NATLAC process here at the library when we try and decide the right term to use. On the surface, we all imagined that translating the Dewey numbers into a natural language term or phrase would be a snap. Were we ever wrong!
There are generally 3 to 4 of us on this project and there are times each of us perceives a different meaning in a single term. Coming to consensus, let alone consensus with the broad array of library users in mind, is definitely a process often fraught with disagreement and high emotion. Just at today's meeting, our still simmering disagreements about seafood and whether that includes fresh-water food fish, over baking and cooking being separate actions rather than baking being a subset of cooking was brought up fresh with passions still as high as ever.
Luckily we respect each other enough and have strong senses of humor as well, that continue to smooth over these disagreements and viewpoints, allow us to make a decision in the best interests of our users, and move on to the next subject to NATLAC. I am unfailing in my admiration for, and respect of the people who have participated in this process and their willingness to set aside personal opinion for the larger perspective of the topic.
That being said, at the moment we are a bit stuck on a good term for the 'characters' both divine and human in the Bible. Let me know if you have any suggestions to throw into the fray. abaker@kelleylibrary.org
Tuesday, February 28, 2017
Wednesday, February 1, 2017
Predicting the Future
On the eve of Groundhog's Day, our country's greatest celebration of prognostication, I got to thinking about the art, science, and randomness of predicting the future. I am not sure how often Punxatawney Phil is right, as it seems like he nearly always predicts a winter the full length of winter, but there is that annual stirring of interest about what he will predict.
I find the Phil thing is like folks around me that refer to the Farmer's Almanac predictions of weather for the year. It always seems spot on when you are in the moment and someone says well the Farmer's Almanac did predict a lot of snow this year. But do we ever say the opposite, like being amazed that it is such a snowy winter when the FA predicted little snow.
A team of us have been working for several months to analyze the future of libraries in general, and the Kelley in specifics, and while we have gotten a great handle on a lot of useful things, we are still shying away from making predictions. Just a few years ago, when the digital book craze took off, there were constant predictions of the death of print books, libraries, and reading in general. Several years in, digital books sales are sagging, print is in a resurge, and libraries are still here and busy. Like so many formats before - audiobooks, large print to name a few - we have weathered the panic that these new formats spelled the end of print books as we know it, and they have comfortably settled into being a portion of the array of materials we provide. The key has always been to be careful to offer access to books and film in a variety of ways so we can support the widest range of users. Digital books are just another way for our community to access the wide variety of ideas, interpretations, creativity, wisdom, insights offered by authors and directors from all over the world. Broadening our minds, inspiring us to new ways of thinking, and keeping us open to the changing world.
I find the Phil thing is like folks around me that refer to the Farmer's Almanac predictions of weather for the year. It always seems spot on when you are in the moment and someone says well the Farmer's Almanac did predict a lot of snow this year. But do we ever say the opposite, like being amazed that it is such a snowy winter when the FA predicted little snow.
A team of us have been working for several months to analyze the future of libraries in general, and the Kelley in specifics, and while we have gotten a great handle on a lot of useful things, we are still shying away from making predictions. Just a few years ago, when the digital book craze took off, there were constant predictions of the death of print books, libraries, and reading in general. Several years in, digital books sales are sagging, print is in a resurge, and libraries are still here and busy. Like so many formats before - audiobooks, large print to name a few - we have weathered the panic that these new formats spelled the end of print books as we know it, and they have comfortably settled into being a portion of the array of materials we provide. The key has always been to be careful to offer access to books and film in a variety of ways so we can support the widest range of users. Digital books are just another way for our community to access the wide variety of ideas, interpretations, creativity, wisdom, insights offered by authors and directors from all over the world. Broadening our minds, inspiring us to new ways of thinking, and keeping us open to the changing world.
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