Week 6: #15

When I was an undergraduate in college, which was some time ago, I was the one who ran in the other direction when I heard the words computers and mainframes. I ran even further away when I saw the punch cards that had to be prepared and the mounds of paper being printed out. My fears were reinforced when I heard the horror stories of students...or employees who made the whole system crash. No, No not me; I didn't want to be the cause of all that turmoil.

And just look at the transition I have made. Just look at how the library has evolved into a marvelous place fitting to this age of technology we live in. I still have a long way to go and so does the library, but we are flowing along on this river together quite nicely. We may hit a few rocks, twists and turns, even find a few snakes along the way, but I am ready for some adventure and there is always that promise of the sunset at the end of each day's journey. How dull life would be staying the same day in and day out.

We need to continue to offer our databases and programs off site to patrons so they can access information at home or in the office. What's the point of having it all and not sharing it all. We have a mix of patrons who long for the opportunity for independence, and others who cling to their dependence. We can serve and appreciate both types. The one group frees us to have time for the other group.

What seems like major change today will seem like nothing tomorrow. It gets us ready for the next major change down the way. The feelings and fears I had back in college are irrelevant today.

We would no more want to go back to black and white movies and television or oil lanterns, than we would want to stifle the path we are on toward the new innovations of the future.