Comments on: Patrons in the driver’s seat: Giving advanced tool-sets to library patrons http://www.higheredblogcon.com/index.php/patrons-in-the-drivers-seat-giving-advanced-tool-sets-to-library-patrons/ transforming academic communities with new tools of the social web Thu, 17 May 2012 10:23:58 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2.3 By: Pam Spooner http://www.higheredblogcon.com/index.php/patrons-in-the-drivers-seat-giving-advanced-tool-sets-to-library-patrons/#comment-371 Pam Spooner Wed, 10 May 2006 23:00:01 +0000 http://www.higheredblogcon.com/index.php/patrons-in-the-drivers-seat-giving-advanced-tool-sets-to-library-patrons/#comment-371 Hi, by searching Library Lit you'll see that the term Information Broker has been in the literature since 1984 and maybe longer. There was quite a spate in the 80's of 'how to reinvent ourselves' to be more 'modern' - unfortunately many people got nervous with the term 'librarian', not understanding that it's not the title that speaks for us but what we do - MAGIC! Hi,
by searching Library Lit you’ll see that the term Information Broker has been in the literature since 1984 and maybe longer. There was quite a spate in the 80’s of ‘how to reinvent ourselves’ to be more ‘modern’ - unfortunately many people got nervous with the term ‘librarian’, not understanding that it’s not the title that speaks for us but what we do - MAGIC!

]]> By: John http://www.higheredblogcon.com/index.php/patrons-in-the-drivers-seat-giving-advanced-tool-sets-to-library-patrons/#comment-230 John Tue, 18 Apr 2006 13:23:57 +0000 http://www.higheredblogcon.com/index.php/patrons-in-the-drivers-seat-giving-advanced-tool-sets-to-library-patrons/#comment-230 Patricia, I really like the phrase "information broker". I think we could probably also add to that, "information mediator" as we move closer to that model of a two-way data-dialogue with our patrons. Patricia,

I really like the phrase “information broker”. I think we could probably also add to that, “information mediator” as we move closer to that model of a two-way data-dialogue with our patrons.

]]> By: Patricia http://www.higheredblogcon.com/index.php/patrons-in-the-drivers-seat-giving-advanced-tool-sets-to-library-patrons/#comment-222 Patricia Mon, 17 Apr 2006 19:57:19 +0000 http://www.higheredblogcon.com/index.php/patrons-in-the-drivers-seat-giving-advanced-tool-sets-to-library-patrons/#comment-222 John: I'm intrigued by a number of concepts within your lecture. As a library staff member for the past 10 years at UBC I've seen the growth and hiccups resulted from moving from one library online system to another. Currently we have started some initiatives that will involve defining what the library website could be and how the role of the librarian fits in with that of being the "information broker". Two issues you raised caught my eye. The first being the "virtual card catalogue". As our library is a biomedical research library, the ability for the patron to create their own inventory of previous resources used as well as items of interest would be of great benefit and most definitely has been on the wish list of many a researcher. Moreover, to create lists that are viewable to the public has a lot of functionality about it. We have seen this in the social bookmarking site del.icio.us. An instructor would beable to refer his students and/or colleagues to the URI in order to see what resources s/he has been looking at. The second item is the future ability of the user/patron to supply their own content to add to the library collection. As you mentioned this could include historical photographs and possibly to other media. This content could include podcasts of conferences, political speeches to name just a few. Recently I was at the Northern Voice 2006 blogging conference. The podcasting and subsequent posting on blogs would allow those not able to attend to listen to the lectures and it may also act as a reference to those doing research, for example, on the cultural implications of blogging at a later time. John:

I’m intrigued by a number of concepts within your lecture.

As a library staff member for the past 10 years at UBC I’ve seen the growth and hiccups resulted from moving from one library online system to another. Currently we have started some initiatives that will involve defining what the library website could be and how the role of the librarian fits in with that of being the “information broker”.

Two issues you raised caught my eye. The first being the “virtual card catalogue”. As our library is a biomedical research library, the ability for the patron to create their own inventory of previous resources used as well as items of interest would be of great benefit and most definitely has been on the wish list of many a researcher. Moreover, to create lists that are viewable to the public has a lot of functionality about it. We have seen this in the social bookmarking site del.icio.us. An instructor would beable to refer his students and/or colleagues to the URI in order to see what resources s/he has been looking at.

The second item is the future ability of the user/patron to supply their own content to add to the library collection. As you mentioned this could include historical photographs and possibly to other media. This content could include podcasts of conferences, political speeches to name just a few. Recently I was at the Northern Voice 2006 blogging conference. The podcasting and subsequent posting on blogs would allow those not able to attend to listen to the lectures and it may also act as a reference to those doing research, for example, on the cultural implications of blogging at a later time.

]]> By: Michael http://www.higheredblogcon.com/index.php/patrons-in-the-drivers-seat-giving-advanced-tool-sets-to-library-patrons/#comment-207 Michael Sun, 16 Apr 2006 15:06:33 +0000 http://www.higheredblogcon.com/index.php/patrons-in-the-drivers-seat-giving-advanced-tool-sets-to-library-patrons/#comment-207 John - Wonderful stuff...a true roadmap for innovation. I urge readers to share this material and library administrators to take the idea of blogging very seriously. John - Wonderful stuff…a true roadmap for innovation. I urge readers to share this material and library administrators to take the idea of blogging very seriously.

]]> By: Stian Haklev http://www.higheredblogcon.com/index.php/patrons-in-the-drivers-seat-giving-advanced-tool-sets-to-library-patrons/#comment-205 Stian Haklev Sun, 16 Apr 2006 04:48:48 +0000 http://www.higheredblogcon.com/index.php/patrons-in-the-drivers-seat-giving-advanced-tool-sets-to-library-patrons/#comment-205 This is incredibly interesting and inspiring stuff. I can only hope that the public libraries in the cities where I live start offering similar services. I certainly would consider myself a super-patron, or I would like to be one, but it's frustrating when you have a lot of constructive ideas - and nowhere to go. Both the University of Toronto and the TPL, while great libraries, are not at the forefront here. I can only hope they catch up. It's also fascinating the conflict between privacy and usability. I would love a past checkout list for my university library (it would be long!), as well as syndication to my blog, etc. But I understand the different concerns raised. Hopefully this is something we will be able to solve. This is incredibly interesting and inspiring stuff. I can only hope that the public libraries in the cities where I live start offering similar services. I certainly would consider myself a super-patron, or I would like to be one, but it’s frustrating when you have a lot of constructive ideas - and nowhere to go. Both the University of Toronto and the TPL, while great libraries, are not at the forefront here. I can only hope they catch up.

It’s also fascinating the conflict between privacy and usability. I would love a past checkout list for my university library (it would be long!), as well as syndication to my blog, etc. But I understand the different concerns raised. Hopefully this is something we will be able to solve.

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