A perspective by Cathy Wilt, Executive Director of PALINET
As we discussed ideas for a futures conference, it quickly became apparent that if we want to know the future of libraries then we need to look at the future of our world. What will that world look like? How will life as we know it change? How will we communicate? What tools will be available? What needs will our customers have?
We decided to seek out visionaries from all walks of life and bring them together with a small group of colleagues from our field to begin a discussion that will impact libraries well into the next decade. We imagined a morphing of information, inspiration, and imagination that will transform the way we look at our future. With such lofty aspirations, we recognized we also need to build a solid foundation that will serve as a concrete plan with which to move forward.
The result: The Mid-Atlantic Library Futures Conference – a groundbreaking partnership between the NJ, PA, MD, WV, and DE state libraries and PALINET, May 7 and 8, 2007, at the Borgata Hotel in Atlantic City.
An event where speakers will share their vision, small groups will explore ideas through conversations, and EVERYONE will walk away with their plan to navigate through our new possibilities.
I keep saying this is THE conference, because I suspect everything that happens in tomorrow’s libraries will somehow be connected back to an idea, a discussion, or an insight that came about from the combination of people who gather for this. You don’t want to miss this one.
Mid-Atlantic Library Futures Conference 
May 10, 2007 at 2:55 pm
The Boy Who Was Raised by Librarians
By Carla Morris
Illustrated by Brad Sneed
Peachtree Publishers, Atlanta 2007 978-1-56145-391-7
The conference experience has changed my life. Before the Borgata I would have read this picture book with affection, empathy and pride. Now, 2 days after the big B, I read it with instant identification, the dawning realization of the wrongness of the scenario, and guilt and shame.
Enabling? Co-dependent? Overwhelming? Doing too much? Praising too much? Meet Marge, Betty, and Leeola – reference librarians at the Livingston Public Library. And Melvin, the recipient of their efforts.
This book shows us as we are. The good news is the emotional interaction – friendly, warm and welcoming. (Although they are not shown solving any of Melvin’s personal problems, we assume that they did. Maybe the Latinos should be told about this library.) The bad news: Every action was justified by the refrain: “They couldn’t help it. That’s how librarians are.”
What came out loud and strong at the conference was that we have to CHANGE. No longer do we say, “Can I help you?” but “What can I do for you?” We want to confirm for the customers that they indeed know everything, but we’re there to serve them, make things just a bit easier. (Remember the images of the cat up the tree vs. restaurant patrons being led to their table by the obsequious maitre’d?) Marge, Betty, and Leeola did the research for Melvin. So the message is mixed: “Here let me do that for you,” and “Wow, you did a great job!”
By the way, where are Melvin’s parents? Obviously he’s a latchkey kid, or rather a library-dumped kid. No need for a key if you never go home. A single parent? Messy divorce? Unfortunate early death? Alcoholic/drug addicted?
And does it take 3 librarians to answer each of his inquiries? Are there no other customers? We should all be so lucky to have so much staff…and so dedicated. But, were they not as altruistic as it appears on first reading? It doesn’t appear that any of the three are wearing wedding bands. Could they have been trying to meet poor, lonely and overworked Melvin’s Dad?
Ray Kurtzweil, Jim Hughes and Mary Catherine Bateson opened my eyes to the changing demographics we are experiencing now and have reason to expect: the new longer life expectancies and ever healthier lifestyles and realities of the over 65 population. 50 years ago, 65 was old. Today, and tomorrow, we’ll be just revving up. The 2 senior citizens in the book are both very “old-looking,” whatever that means. Certainly not your raring to go “youthful” seniors. Not inspiring at all. And except for the one male senior, there are no other males over the ago of 10 in the library. Where are all of the business people taking advantage of wifi @ the library working on their laptops? Or were they early, very early, adopters and were they wearing their computers?
(Note: my daughter entered MIT in 1997 and as early 10 years ago they were working on wearable computers in the Computer Media Lab. Although she graduated a chemical engineering major, after 4 years in corporate America she left to teach grade school science in Philadelphia through the Teach for America program. And like her librarian mom, she is Enabling, Co-dependent, Overwhelming, Doing too much and Praising too much – in the classroom.)
Since this book embraces the past will it prove to be harmful and damaging to our little ones? I don’t think it will be a spoiler if I make my last comment. I believe it was unanimous, at the meeting we were asked, if we wanted our children to be librarians, that we all said NO! and NO! again. Are we leading our youth down a dark path if we expose them to this? Since this book embraces the past will it prove to be harmful and damaging to our little ones?
I been irrevocably changed by attending the first ever Mid-Atlantic Library Futures Conference. I have been dazzled, impressed, delighted, surprised, challenged, provoked, stimulated and networked. Not to mention the 5 lbs. I gained…