> WM:The director of the San Francisco's public library decided that the age of CDs and palm pilots was the way to go. He threw out millions of books, many irreplaceable. He promptly got fired, but it was already too late. ...
I actually lived in SF during the launch of the new downtown library, and it was an unqualified success. One reason for that success is that there are hundreds of public access computers available at the SF library, something I hope to see happen here at both the downtown and neighborhood sites. Libraries are not about BOOKS, they are about information, learning, and resources. Books have been the primary "information" technology for many generations, but that has changed with advances in information technology, especially with the advent of the Internet. I love books, but in terms of "public information" needs, employing information technologies is both cost-effective and more efficient, and helps to encourage technology literacy among ALL our residents, not just those who can afford it. One strategy we should look at, as a community, is how to strengthen and support other neighborhood-based institutions that are designed to accommodate public access to information technology, such as community technology centers (CTCs). This would spread out some of costs associated with supporting so many full-service libraries, when many residents simply need to access resources that are either available online or within CD/DVD libraries. Our local CTCs (some of which are housed in Libraries, such as Hosmer and Franklin) survive to a great degree on volunteer labor; yet they provide an opportunity to extend our public libraries' resources in the same way that bookmobiles did (do) in both rural and urban communities. I think sometimes we are asking Public Libraries "be all things to all people", when there may be other community-based resources that might actually do a better job of meeting community needs. When there is so little money available to support all these needs, we need to start looking at alternatives...as well as developing alternative revenue streams, which I strongly support the Mayors' initiative in pursuing. -- Catherine M. Settanni, Corcoran Neighborhood Resident Director, C-CAN The Community Computer Access Network http://www.c-can.org "Equal access to technology is the civil rights issue of the 21st century" REMINDERS: 1. Think a member has violated the rules? Email the list manager at [EMAIL PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list. 2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait. For state and national discussions see: http://e-democracy.org/discuss.html For external forums, see: http://e-democracy.org/mninteract ________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
