Hope and Hype
Technology is transforming our lives but at a slower pace than we think. It needs a lot of improvements and adjustments before it becomes as easy as "one click away."
Home alone or together in cubicles
Computers and internet made working from home easier. Right? Wrong, say B&D. At your home office you are like your computer - all-in-one: a boss, an IT professional, an advertising manager, etc. No annoying but technologically savvy co-workers two cubicles away and no incidental learning mixed with gossip at the water-cooler either.
Technology is only as good as its users.
Even the best technology needs users' feedback to improve so this interaction is social by nature. What that means for libraries? Add technology to library services but don't fall for any new gadget and don't forget to teach the patrons how to use all these "goodies."
Brown, J., & Duguid, P. (2002). The Social Life of Information. Boston, Massachusetts: Harvard Business School Press, pp. 63-89.
2 comments:
I have a comment to make about technology being "only as good as its users". I think that that is interesting and partly true. We rely on computers for so much more than finding information (hospitals, transportation, etc.) that technology needs to be produced really well and be user friendly. I also believe that as we progress in technology more emphasis will be put on educating the users.
Yes, it is so important for people to understand the technology that they're using. Otherwise it's just something to brag about and collect dust. ~Jen
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