Nothing is the Future by Wayne Bivens-Tatum (Academic Librarian)

(Found via here). Wayne Bivens-Tatum, an academic librarian from Princeton has a post Nothing is the Future. The post looks at how the web 2.0/library 2.0 has become:-

The future of libraries is Second Life. Wait, I mean Facebook. Or maybe it's Twitter. It's librarians in pods. Etc.The beauty of talking about the future is that it never happens.

Wayne does have a point, but as someone has mentions in the comments Walt Crawford has discussed this previously in an insightful (and longer) piece.

I do think that Wayne has a point. But, recently I was talking to a former work colleague about whether web 2.0 or library 2.0 had changed anything in the workplace? He felt that it had, in that it had re-invigorate new staff and perhaps even teach some old staff some new tricks.

Repackaging the library may seem foolish to some, but I think we may all agree doing everything the same, everyday is dull and repetitive. Yeah, second life maybe not the future or blogging, but at least you may improve the service and your own skill set. As one predominant library 2.0 blogger has said on Talis recently said:-

Meredith Farkas, Author of the book “Social Software in Libraries”. A couple of years after publishing her book, Meredith has become a little jaded about the way libraries are using social software, with some libraries seeing it as a magic wand for community building and engaging with their users. This chimed well with the thoughts of the Gang, who were drawn to the conclusion that like most software, it is just a tool. How you use a tool to communicate with your users, is far more important than the tool itself.

Finally, I would say people today have adapted to the web 2.0 idea for career reasons just as much for helping users. In the world today our library careers are based on short-term contracts. What we learn and can transfer to similar roles are as important to us as ever. Without a new skill set to assist our resumes we are dead in the water.

When Andrew Keen meet Siva Vaidhyanatha

(Found here), Andrew Keen interviews Siva Vaidyanatha about Google, and the release of Siva's book. Worth watching if you could hear Siva.

Andrew Keen goes OTT....

After saying that Andrew Keen is working on The Telegraph, I have seen one of his early articles, entitled Google, the toothless Big brother. Keen feels that Google has lost the power it seemed to havein 2006. He then says this:-

The truth is that the Google search-engine has no more idea of what I want to do tomorrow than a clairvoyant’s crystal ball and it is increasingly vulnerable to next-generation knowledge organisation systems like the recently released Wolfram Alpha.

Wolfram Alpha? Please? How have they impacted on Google? I think he maybe losing it.

Andrew Keen blogging on the Telegraph

Andrew Keen, author of the wonderfully anti-web 2.0 book The Cult of the Amateur: How blogs, MySpace, YouTube and the rest of today's user-generated media are killing our culture and economy is about to get a blog on the Daily Telegraph. He is also about to start a new book Digital Vertigo: Loneliness, Anxiety and Inequality in the Social Media Age. Will inform when the blog starts.

Lee Siegel's book review

Having read Lessig's new book Remixed, which was good if not a bit like his previous books. I felt a need for a change and got Lee Siegel's book Against The Machine: Being Human in the Era of the Electronic Mob. Its a very short book, but in many ways similar to Andrew Keen's Cult of the Amateur. Certainly some people might not enjoy the book. The book was enjoyable in that he criticised some of the web 2.0 outlooks and technologies. I was especially impressed in the debunking of Gladwell's tipping point book. He points out that the story of connectors and The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere was untrue and historically incorrect. I really liked the book, even though I can't always agree with it all, but then as Fitzgerald said :-

The test of a first-rate intelligence is the ability to hold two opposed ideas in mind at the same time and still retain the ability to function.

So I highly recommend this book.

Encyclopaedia Britannica Debate - Do schoolchildren and students know how to research?

The RSA in London has an interesting talk called 'Encyclopaedia Britannica Debate - Do schoolchildren and students know how to research?' Sounds like an interesting panel especially with Stephen Heppell. As its free i'll have to go, even though I fly out the next day.

Nesta, Andrew Keen and Charles Leadbetter

Its been a few weeks since I wrote, so I thought I would briefly talk about the conference I was going to. This was held at the very nice Nesta building in London. Andrew Keen and Charles Leadbetter discussed there very different approaches to the web 2.0 world. Having been to a few of these before I thought Keen may face a rather pro web 2.0 audience. Wow, was I surprised. Leadbetter's view of we think (almost reminiscent of Star Trek's Borg 'we will be assimilated'). Most people felt his idea's were to vague, served little political purpose and was just not a well though out argument. Keen, on the otherhand seemed to have an easier ride (and argue his point better). Keen has the idea we need a hierarchy and used Steve Jobs as a place in point, of an individual and not the group. Well, I like Keen's argument and book, but Jobs created LISA, the impact of Steve Wozniak. I think Keen has been caught in the reality distortion field
.
It was a good conference and Keen offered me the opportunity to interview him for my blog which was nice of him.
BTW, I unfortunately missed Clay Shirky's talk at the RSA called Here Comes Everybody: The Power of Organizing without Organizations, which is the name of his new book. Anyhow, couldn't go I had work.

Andrew Keen and Charles Leadbeater’s in London

Andrew Keen (writer of Cult of the Amateur) and Charles Leadbeater’s (writer of We-think: The Power of Mass Creativity) are giving a discussion on monday, 3nd of march called Mass Collaboration or Extermination by the masses?. Tickets are free.

The backroom boys and The Good, the Bad, And the 'Web 2.0'

I recently acquired The backroom boys as I had read a review of this book back in 2003. The book deals with the british boffins and 6 different invention after the war, that changed society. the chapter I was interested in the story of the BBC game elite, that was created in 1984. In the book it discusses the beginning of the UK computers and computer industry. One line struck some resonance, which was the following:-
It was going to be a future of shrink-wrapped software products far too complex to be written at home by amateurs : a world of mass marketing, not mass participation.
This reminded me of the article in the wall street journal that other bloggers had been talking about (1,2). This was a discussion between Andrew Keen, writer of The Cult of the Amateur, and David Weinberger, author of Everything is Miscellaneous. Having read some of Keen's book, he don't really appreciate the amatuer. When he says of blogger's :-
The simple ownership of a computer and an internet connection doesn't transform one into a kitchen makes one into a serious cook.
Both instances underline the role of the amateur in society. From the 1980's to today, amateurs help assist and history always shows this. Keen seems to refuse any idea of people needing non-experts to make scientific discoveries. People like Luke Howard, who gave clouds there names. Its a shame Keen seems to quick in his condemnation of the web 2.0 world.
Anyhow, I would highly recommend The backroom boys.

The Cult of the Amateur: How Today's Internet Is Killing Our Culture and assualting our economy response

Having written previously about acquiring a copy of Andrew Keen's new book The Cult of the Amateur: How Today's Internet Is Killing Our Culture and assualting our economy, it seems he's not really enamoured himself to many people. First up, Michael Sauers of travellin librarian fame (and the writer of the wonderful Blogging and RSS: A Librarian's Guide informed me that he had read it. He also gave me a link to his review of it, which was an interesting read. I'm still looking forward to getting it though, as it'll assist with the dissertation.