Week 1 Responses

While this is my first foray into thinking and learning about digital libraries, I have used them before. Pitt has one that I have looked at, and my local library (Mt Lebanon Public Library) has a digital library that they produced in connection with the local historical society to place historical photographs online.

I appreciated the definitions and preliminary explanations of digital libraries. I had not thought that the phrase 'digital library' really is a nebulous phrase. It can mean anything in any situation! What a given organization defines as a digital library might be entirely different from another digital library.

The other major idea that intrigued me was mentioned at the end of the Paepcke article, when the author discusses how computer scientists and librarians are disillusioned and disappointed with how the technology has not met their expectations in the past 10 years. They expected it to change the world, and it really hasn't done that.

Logically, however, we should be aware that things really aren't going to change that much when a new technology is introduced. The human race is not exactly known for embracing change quickly, and generally abides by the theory, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it". The library system has been this way for 5,000 years with only minor changes. Librarians and library users are not going to embrace a drastic revolution in the way libraries are structured. The old system must integrate the new technology into is extant architecture, not the other way around.

Gradual change is for the better anyways. When Vatican II changed the entire structure of the Catholic mass in 1962, the Catholic population (the users!) reacted poorly. Many people left the church because it wasn't what they were used to, and those who didn't were still disgruntled. To say the least, it didn't go well. We don't want to anger our patrons by changing everything around on them with no warning, introduction, or trial period. Then we will surely be out of jobs.

First Post

Hi! My name is Katrina Kurtz. This is my blog for Digital Libraries. I am posting this because I am compulsive and feel obligated to have something here until I do the first readings and can post about them.

In the meantime, here's my puppy! Her name is Katie. She's a pain in the butt, but she's cute so she makes up for it. This morning, I had the pleasure of chasing her around to retrieve the following items:
1. a shoe
2. A bag of sunflower seeds
3. My freshly stamped and sealed gas bill payment
4. A bottle cap.
5. A pen.
6. A plastic bag.

After that, she fell asleep next to me, on her back, snoring. I couldn't be mad at her anymore.