The one thing that strikes me about the technology of Web 2.0, Library 2.0 or whatever 2.0 that's currently being touted and celebrated as "the next big thing" is the lack of Oneness. By that, I mean Web 2.0 seems very fragmented and confusing; a lot of small groups doing their things in their own way. Maybe that's a good thing, but I can't help but feel we miss out on having a shared experience; something that we all experience and share as a one culture, one people.
In addition to the fragmentation, I sense a growing complexity that I'm not so sure is needed. For example, back in the old days (insert Common Sense guy going booooo at this point), yow wanted to record something, you got a video recorder, you got a video, you hit record and you were set. Granted, most folks didn't know how to get the 12:00 on their VCR to stop blinking. And maybe that should have been a hint to keep things simple. Now we've got this website that uses that software that only works with certain other websites, software and equipment and you have to set up accounts and passwords, etc. etc. etc.
I'm glad the guy on Common Sense is excited about everything new. And maybe I am slipping into grumpy, old curmudgeon territory. I've accepted being out to the target demographic for quite some time now. I'm just convinced that all of these new ways of doing things are necessarily better ways of doing things. We seem to be drifting apart and fragmented as a people, as a culture and as a society. We're very good at talking. We're becoming not so good at actually communicating.
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2 comments:
Hi Corey,
In the comment you left pointing to this blog entry, you apologized for sounding cranky. You certainly don't have to do that. We definitely don't expect Nebraska Learns 2.0 participants to embrace each and every thing. Heck even the four of us at NLC who are involved in the Nebraska Learns 2.0 project each have Things we like and Things that leave us cold!
My only other comment has to do with communication. Many libraries are using these new "Web 2.0" tools to try to open up channels of communication with segments of our society that our traditional communication methods aren't necessarily reaching. So ironically, they are trying to address the same fragmentation you are lamenting, in an effort to make sure the library remains an important cultural institution and meeting place, both physically and virtually.
These new tools may not be the way to communicate with some of our long-term users, but they may be a way to reach out and communicate with potential new users.
A thought from 68467 land -- how do we get enough benefit from "X" to make it worth while.
I'll spot you two decades, so don't claim curmudgeonhood prematurely. :~)
On the other hand, when 2.0 goes sour, some emergency learning has to kick in pronto.
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