Library Dust: Give Me Ten of NYPL Preferred

Here’s a cogent little essay by Michael McGorty. Although he is slightly facetious about initial public offerings for public libraries, he hits the nail on the head regarding why libraries will continue to be important despite the internet — that is IF we librarians don’t buy into the fallacy that libraries need to be more like google and amazon.

Proponents of Internet supremacy regard the thing as the ultimate in democracy. In fact this is precisely true, and precisely for that reason a disaster. It is as though any person could publish a book on botany, regardless of content or value, then have it printed and placed on the shelves of every home in the world, to contend with innumerable competing versions, each with its separate viewpoint and set of factual bases. Those who place their faith in Internet answers roll the dice with every click, and never guess they are gambling.

[Thanks Librarian.net!!]

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1. Information as public domain, access through libraries
2. Google and public discourse
3. Intellectual Freedom in the Information Society, Libraries and the Internet
4. University of Minnesota Libraries offers blog space for faculty staff and students
5. World Social Forum and libraries