Making Connections in Our Wired World  - Sarah Beasley

I recently had that magical experience that library patrons (and librarians) hope for - I  stumbled across several interconnected things, without really looking for any of them.  What I especially love about this particular experience is that all of the components are related in one way or another, either loosely or tightly, to the connectivity of ideas and knowledge, especially in the digital world.  Here's what happened...

It all came together when I read the article "The Future of the Web is 100 Years Old" on the Nautilus website (a new and happy discovery for me). It's a fascinating article that talks about competing visions for the future connectivity and organization of information from the late 19th century through today, including the very formative period during the early-mid 20th Century that laid the groundwork for the organization of the internet.

My immediate thoughts when I read the article's sub-title, "In the debate between structure and openness, 19th-century ideas are making a comeback," went something like this: The Internet is ever-changing and evolving. Heck, Google is futzing with its algorithm. That has the potential to make a huge difference in the information people receive.

The idea of iterating on established processes and creating solutions to problems reminded me of a Reply All episode I listened to in December. Reply All is a very interesting, accessible podcast about "how people shape the internet, and the internet shapes people."

In the intro to the episode "We Know What You Did," the host, PJ Vogt says, "When [Ethan Zuckerman] was young, he did something that made the world, and specifically the internet, a lot worse. And most of us today are living in that broken world he helped create." What did Zuckerman create? The pop-up ad. He's really sorry he did though he did have good reasons at the time.

After all of that went through my head I started to actually read the Nautilus article.  It mentions Douglas Engelbart, an early pioneer of the idea of the internet and, more specifically, hyperlinks. It just so happens that Engelbart was the subject of another podcast I listen to regularly, 99% Invisible.

This podcast is a "show about design, architecture & the 99% invisible activity that shapes our world."  The episode "Of Mice and Men" highlights Engelbart's idea for the computer mouse.

These kinds of interconnections, while ostensibly digital in their focus, also remind me of the serendipity of browsing. Some librarian friends over at ebrowsing.org are exploring what browsing means in the electronic environment. 

In the meantime, whether you are scanning the shelves or wandering through the web, I wish you luck in discovering ideas, new and old, to inspire and excite, regardless of the organizing principles at work.  

Special Services - Sheila Jackson

As of March 2, Wesley W. Roberts assumed the new position of Library Services Manager (LSM) of Workforce and Economic Development. Wes will continue to manage the Job & Career Education Center (JCEC) at CLP-Main and, in conjunction with Senior Librarian Peggy Domer, CLP's Nonprofit Resource Center. He will also be working more closely with CLP's Government Documents and Patents Librarian and staff at CLP's Downtown and Business branch.

Wes is currently focusing on creating internal service connections between the individuals and departments noted above that will allow the library to provide more integrated service in this area. Establishing consistencies in programming and branding and making the Library a more active and visible connecting point on the paths of individuals and organizations seeking resources to better themselves, their nonprofits, and their businesses are two major goals. In the long run, Wes would like to see all of our libraries and their services be part of what draws economic opportunity to our region.

If you'd like to talk with Wes about his current projects or long-term vision, don't hesitate to get in touch. 

Professional Resources

Marketing Library Services, an Information Today, Inc. publication always offers one free article from their bimonthly issues.  The January-February 2015 issue included an excellent article which discusses "Five Strategies for Promoting Databases".