Reading Notes For Week One

"Content, Not Containers"
I found the concept of various formats as "containers" an interesting one; I also agree that a huge challenge to libraries is figuring out how to deliver this unpackaged content in ways that attract and serve the community. I also feel that this article did a good job of detailing the place libraries need to occupy in this information-saturated webspace, a role that makes them sources of "authenticity and provenance of content... in an information-rich but context-poor world." (13) With the rise of blogs, wikis, and highly accessible search engines, the job of libraries seems not so much to serve as the sole repository of information, but to provide GOOD information, and to help instruct people who take such vast amounts of information at their fingertips for granted in the proper techniques for utilizing and synthesizing said information.

"Information Literacy and Information Technology Literacy"
Lynch provides a succinct and readable summary of the key concepts of information literacy and information technology literacy. His main arguement is for the spread of information technology literacy, which includes being able to use and understand how computers and their various information systems work. His arguement that everyone should hold a moderate degree of proficiency in information technology reinforces the points made in "Content, Not Containers," and its application for librarians; in order to be adept at the field, librarians need to make a point to actively understand the systems they promulgate and use.

"Lied Library at Four Years"
This article serves as a useful case study in how one academic library approached the various problems that are cropping up at most modern libraries. The main point here is indicated by the title; technology does not stand still, and in order to create a library that effectively meets the needs of its patrons, librarians have to stay abreast of the changing technologies. Again, this point is butressed by the arguements in the other two articles; only by keeping up with new information technologies can libraries serve their purpose. I was particularly struck by how much effort goes into technological advances; at one point, the author states that the librarians had to start planning a year and a half in advance to prepare to install new computers. The point to take away here, I think, is that librarians have to get used to think about technology not as something separate that has to be addressed once a year or so; staying current is an ongoing process that requires attention and attentiveness.