Week 10: Library as Platform

Well, hello there!

I really like the idea of this week's topic: the library as a platform.  People can use the library to link to other people and other people's resources, that they can use the library website to link to their own website, or even have a section of the library's website as their own.  The library could have a calendar of events for not only the events hosted by the library, but other local organizations.

I feel like this is the Utopian view of the library.  In reality, are people going to actually do this?

I did a survey last week for another class, and in class we discussed people's views of a library.  I came to the conclusion that there are a lot of people who don't use the library to the full extent.  In fact, most people don't.  People don't realize all that the library can do.  So if some librarians at a local library decided to start making their library a platform, and wanted to link people and organizations to the library, it's going to take more work than just setting up the technical side of it.  They are going to have to go out into the community and get people interested.  They're going to have to talk to businesses and other organizations and share their plan.  Not only that, but they will need to get the community members as well.  The community members will have to realize the benefit of using the library to network and learn things, instead of the ease and convenience of the internet.  It would take a lot of work and a lot of convincing.

I'm not saying it's not possible, and I'm not saying that we shouldn't try, but I'm saying we're going to have to change people's perspectives on the library to make this happen, and it's not an easy task.