Calling Mr Atoz, You are needed

I was looking at the Taiga Forum and thought of the Library and Librarian Mr. Altoz, in the Star Trek Episode " All our Yesterdays." The libary is empty except for Mr Atoz. It is just rows and rows of discs that can be viewed on a viewer before jumping through the Portal.

What is the Taiga Forum? It is a community of librarians working at the Assistant/Associate University Librarian (AUL) and Assistant/Associate Director (AD) levels that are challenging the traditional boundaries of libraries. Vision and forward thinking is great but this group is just plain out whacked. I have heard of out in left field but they are not even in the field.

Their Vision or five year plan is summed up in their Taiga 4 Provocative Statements from Feb 20, 2009.

1. ... all librarians will be expected to take personal responsibility for their own professional
development; each of us will evolve or die. Budget pressures will force administrators to
confront the "psychological shadow" cast by tenure and pseudo-tenure that has inhibited
them from performing meaningful evaluations and taking necessary personnel actions.
Librarians who do not produce will be reassigned or fired.

Ok, This one isn't too Bad Of course people need to learn the new technology. Produce or get fired ? I guess that works just as good as bonuses or other incentives to get results but I can't say it is a morale boosting technique.

2. ... collection development as we now know it will cease to exist as selection of library
materials will be entirely patron-initiated. Ownership of materials will be limited to what is
actively used. The only collection development activities involving librarians will be
competition over special collections and archives.

Whatever, Why not let the Booksellers do it completely for the library,that way you can be sure that they clear the stuff off their shelves that won't sell.

3. ... Google will meet virtually all information needs for both students and researchers.
Publishers will use Google as a portal to an increasing array of content and services that
disintermediate libraries. All bibliographic data, excepting what libraries create for local
special collections, will be produced and consumed at the network level.

For some reason this one was crossed out. I Don't know if that's because they feel it is completed or just a joke. Glad we can get rid of all those useless other Databases and Catalogs and Google everything.

4. ... knowledge management will be identified as a critical need on campus and will be
defined much more broadly than libraries have defined it. The front door for all
information inquiries will be at the university level. Libraries will have a small information
service role.

Knowledge needed on Campus ? How Ironic, too bad they feel a need to manage it. I guess this puts the public libraries out of business.

5. ... libraries will have given up on the "outreach librarian" model after faculty persistently
show no interest in it. Successful libraries will have identified shared goals with teaching
faculty and adapted themselves to work at the intersection of librarianship, information
technology and instructional technology.

Yup those homebound people, nursing homes and prisons are such a drag to bother with it will be so nice to know that successful libraries say to hell with special needs.

6. ... libraries will provide no in-person services. All services (reference, circulation,
instruction, etc.) will be unmediated and supported by technology.

Calling Mr Atoz , You are needed at the desk someone just jumped through the Portal.

7. ... libraries will have abandoned the hybrid model to focus exclusively on electronic
collections, with limited investments in managing shared print archives. Local unique
collections will be funded only by donor contributions.

What they are saying "Local Unique collections", What they mean is "Books and printed materials"

8. ... library buildings will no longer house collections and will become campus community
centers that function as part of the student services sector. Campus business offices will
manage license and acquisition of digital content. These changes will lead campus
administrators to align libraries with the administrative rather than the academic side of
the organization.

Thats right they got rid of the "Local Unique collections" because the donors lost their money to Madoff.

9. ... the library community will insist on a better return on investment for membership
organizations (e.g., CRL, DLF, CNI, SPARC, ARL, ALA). All collaboration of significance will
be centered around either individual entrepreneurial libraries (e.g., HathiTrust, OLE), or
regional consortia.

Or, they will do away with idiotic organizations and manifestos such as this and get back to real library work.

10. ... 20% of the ARL library directors will have retired. University administrators will see
that librarians do not have the skills they need and will hire leaders from other parts of the
academy, leading both to a realignment of the library within the university and to the
decline of the library profession.

Well this will be one way of getting rid of these high paid clueless administrators who thought up this garbage. Oh Shit now what do we do Mr Atoz has jumped through the portal also.

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I thought some of the those interviewed in the piece Librarian 2.0--Interviews of the future of librarians were a bit out of touch with their visions and and too wrapped up in techno - lust but this group sets a whole new level of OUT OF TOUCH WITH REALITY.

Media Lab in Retrospect

I thought I would do a little retrospective look at the Media lab.
This is not the well known Media Lab at MIT but still widely known throughout the library world. In 1973 some innovative thinkers created the Library Media lab. It was just a small room that the library patrons could use to make movies and slide shows, use a darkroom or check out camera equipment. The Media Lab continued to grow and after 22 years it offered to the library patron, 2 photo Darkrooms, a sound proof recording booth and Audio Production station, Audio and Video tape duplicating including international standards, Film and Slide to video transfer, Photo copy tables and slide show production. In addition to in house services the media lab checked out Video and Film Cameras, Slide projectors and dissolve units, Photo Lighting Kits, Microphones mixers and Multi-track recorders. Media Lab Staff, I became one of them in 1984, were there to assist and train the patrons in producing their projects and also instructed occasional workshops in Photography and archiving photos. The media Lab was part of the Library AV department that included a TV production studio that produced several library programs for Cable Television and was a community access center for Cable production.
In 1996 nonlinear video editing and Apple computers for graphic production were set to be added to the Media labs capabilities along with the newer 8mm video cameras and equipment to replace the older VHS units. The Labs Video capability included Beta, VHS, 3/4, 8mm, Pal /Secam/NTSC conversion and film/slide/photo to video conversion.
In 1995 the use of the lab was over 10,000 patrons a year and growing.
In 1995 citing budgets and a view that cable was no longer viable the AV department was shut down entirely. Most of the Cable studio was sold off to the local cable companies and most of the Media Lab went to the Edina Art Center and the library no longer had any AV department, Cable TV production or Media Lab. It was a very controversial closing as noted by the local newspaper and the ALA American Libraries.

Now it is 2009, almost a full 14 years since it was shut down. I just completed the second round of the 23 things on a Stick and learning about Library 2.0 applications.
The Edina Art center has continued to thrive and expand to include the Peggy Kelly Media Arts Center from where the Media Lab left off.
In the library world the push for 2.0 uses the methods for producing and sharing documents, Videos, Photos grows more prevalent every day. The Media Lab was in essence providing what the current technology allowed it to do. It turns out it was exactly what the Library World is screaming to provide today. The Media Lab was set to be among the first in libraries in the country to offer a computer lab, with the closing it took another 10 years for the library to reach that point.
In many ways when the library eliminated the AV department the library fell behind. Instead of AV being the backbone of what and how the library was used outside of traditional book services these services were delayed until the libraries came online and had a robust enough network. The Library was itself transforming from a printed catalog to an online catalog at the time of the close. It has been only within the last several years that the online functionality has been able to support and provide the Web 2.0 needs.
I am amazed at the irony of how what was once a unique and trendy lab that visitors from around the world visited was closed and now the very services it offered are what is now in demand with the 2.0 needs. It is amazing how a simple decision can affect things down the road. It is a dynamic illustration of decision making. I can only imagine what we would be offering our patrons today had the decision reflected forward thinking that took into account the customers and staff wishes over a simple budgetary cut.

The Aarhus Library in Denmark now has The Transformation Lab that has produced new visions for the physical library of the future. I saw real similar foundations between what the Media lab was and what the Transformation Lab does. It is very possible that had the Media Lab been allowed to remain it too would be offering this type of function as an integral part of the library.

Free Markets and Capitalism

Capitalism and Free Markets will always fail.

Human nature is the Achilles heel of Capitalism and Free markets. The desire for profits turns into greed. The greed defeats any possibility of self regulating. Putting in controls and regulations is the only way to control the greed but in doing so changes the meaning of free markets.
Reagonomics was a failure. Money never trickled down. Instead it found its ways back into the pockets of those that controlled the wealth. The whole premise of Capitalism and free markets has been the down fall of dynasties empires and governments throughout History. The regulating of the systems get displaced by greed and corruption due to the insatiable need for more wealth. The wealthy get wealthier and more powerful and increasingly depend more on the poor to produce their wealth for them. Eventually this can not be sustained and it collapses, an uprising or revolt, or takeover happens. The poor can no longer afford to buy the products, the products eventually cease to be produced and the companies close and the wealth disintegrates and everyone loses except for those that stole the wealth thru unregulated corrupt practices. We have seen it happen with Enron, Oil and Gas prices, the dot com bubble, the housing bubble and now with Maddoff, AIG and the Banking Bailouts. History is repeating itself due to the unregulated greed and corruption of Free Markets and Capitalism.
Unfortunately our government has been unable to or unwilling to regulate anything and instead has cave to the needs of the wealthy or special interests and over the past eight years under the Bush Administration this has even become more profound where rules and regulations were reduced to protect big business at expense of the consumer. The republican control has allowed itself to be guided or controlled by corporate needs and demands of moral or religious groups. They protect the needs of a fortunate minority but do not answer to the needs of all. Unlike Spock in Star Trek The needs of the many do not outweigh the needs of one or a few. I have found it always amazing that those that commit terror attacks, commit assassinations, bomb abortion clinics always tend to be republican and republicans also tend to be more corrupt and more falsely religious yet expect others to follow their religious views not their examples.
This is evident through History be it the Spanish Inquisition the Roman Empire, Nazi Germany and the USA today. Greed and narrow moral or religious views and domination were the controlling factors.
For Capitalism and Free Market to truly survive and thrive A liberal or Democratic set of regulations need to be in place that keeps corruption, greed and domination in check. The Wealthy need the workers for them to remain wealthy. So keeping the workers out of poverty and able to increase their wealth only benefits all classes rich and poor. Without it all collapses.


The recent bonus and bailout fiasco with AIG only goes to exemplify how deep rooted this is and how greed makes those oblivious to the reality of what is going on. The need to protect their personal wealth for out weighs their needs our responsibilities to protect or save the economy. I keep hearing I have mine screw all of you. Retention Bonuses are collected and kept yet they leave. High Salaries and packages are always said to retain the qualified yet they can't retain them. At the same time employees are not paid adequate living wages and are told they are replaceable so they are not dignified a salary that induces retaining them.

It is also Free Markets and Capitalism that I fear will be the biggest obstacle to finding cures for Cancer or other Medical advances. Cancer research and treatment is a billion dollar industry that would collapse if a cure were to be found. Pharma would be the only benefactors and probably gouge for the cure. Health Care costs in general are out of control due to greed and profit needs not the health of the patient.

My take on the 2nd Amendment

The 2nd Amendment should have been worded better or left out entirely.

Amendment 2 - Right to Bear Arms. Ratified 12/15/1791. Note
A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.
Some background on the 2nd amendment can be found here.
So with that up front. We no longer have militias.
The term militia is commonly used today to refer to a military force composed of ordinary citizens[1] to provide defense, emergency law enforcement, or paramilitary service, in times of emergency without being paid a regular salary or committed to a fixed term of service. It is a polyseme with multiple distinct but related meanings. Legal and historical meanings of militia include:
Defense activity or service, to protect a community, its territory, property, and laws.[2]
The entire able-bodied population of a community, town, county, or state, available to be called to arms.
· A subset of these who may be legally penalized for failing to respond to a call-up.
· A subset of these who actually respond to a call-up, regardless of legal obligation.
A private, non-government force, not necessarily directly supported or sanctioned by its government.
An official reserve army, composed of citizen soldiers. Called by various names in different countries such as; the Army Reserve, National Guard, or State Defense Forces.
The national police forces in several former communist states such as the Soviet Union and the Warsaw Pact countries, but also in the non-aligned SFR Yugoslavia. The term was inherited in Russia, and other former CIS countries. See: Militia (Police).
In France the term "Milice" has become tainted due to its use by notorious collaborators with Nazi Germany.
A select militia is composed of a small, non-representative portion of the population, often politicized
In 1760 Militias were the backbone as the government was forming. There was no real military role. The Militia was our military. The government did not supply arms but depended on the militia to provide their own weapons.
Since we no longer have the need for civilian Militias to fight our wars and defend our communities and country and the civilians are no longer the supplier of arms to the military the whole premise and need of the militia part of the 2nd Amendment falls apart
When the militia half falls apart so does the second half of the amendment. If we no longer have the need for armed civilian militias then also we no longer have the need to keep and bear arms.
So here we are some 200 years later. And this war on rights continues.
The legal uses for guns and rifles by civilians have all become recreational, Hunting and Target shooting. I do not deny anyone the right to own and use a gun but this right to own and the regulations to own them should be strict. They are not toys; their design is for one thing and one thing only. They are designed and made to kill efficiently.
They are capable of hitting a Mountain goat on the side of a mountain from a ½ a mile just as easy as someone in a park from a building top. I see no reason to produce and sell Assault versions for any other use than military and restricting these types of assault style weapons does not reduce the quality of firearms available to own.
So yes. Let people own and use firearms.
Should gun owners be allowed to conceal and carry weapons? NO I am more fearful of that person so scared that they feel they need to carry a gun to protect themselves, family, and possessions than I am of any criminal carrying a weapon illegally.. There is a fine line between going crazy in Columbine or losing it because you feel threatened and have a gun. Since I used Columbine as an example. Think of the mess had everyone been allowed to carry guns. I would rather live with a risk of the occasional illegal gun than the dangers of the legal guns everywhere. Are you going to be noble and shoot that bank robber or convenience store robber or miss and hit some innocent bystander? Don’t tell me you don’t plan on being able to shoot it. Why else would you want to be able to have the firearm in your possession at all times? Come On these are not the days of Gunslingers and shoot outs at the OK Corral.
So Why the need to keep them in their vehicles while you go shopping, Bring your kids to soccer games or leave your car in a lot all day while working. It only serves one of two purposes you feel a need to use it any time. or you want to look cool having rifles locked on the rack in the back window. The only advantage I see in being able to store your firearms in your car is to make it easier to get them stolen and into the hands of illegal use. Or are you all planning on creating your own militia to overthrow the government.
Give me a break and get over your Macho mentality that you need to own and shoot assualt weapons and that you are the chosen vigilante protectors we all need.

2008 Ends Here comes 2009

My final thoughts for 2008.
On Executive pay and parachutes. I would love to see a salary cap but that is really nothing that could be made into law. We have a hard enough time passing minimum wage laws that provides for a living above the poverty line how could we pass a law that restricts how much a person can earn.
What we can do is change the climate that promotes these excessive packages.
First reinstate the tax cuts for the rich. Next add more tax penalties and tax these large packages and salaries , close loopholes and limits on tax shelters. If you make so much that after giving to charities and paying all your bills, all your Yacht or private plane and crew expenses and your three mansions, you still have to shelter your left over money or find some way to avoid paying taxes you just make to much period...
3rd Provide tax breaks to companies who instead of supporting and paying these excessive executive packages and salaries divert or use these funds back into the company to further cover expenses including healthcare, pensions or retirement plans and employee salaries. I am amazed that the Airlines and Auto Industry as well as others complain that they have to cover all these pensions or provide insurance and are struggling to cover their funding but at the same time funds are there to pay the executives those needed millions they are so short on.

We have created and allowed the climate of greed to run rampant. Taxing the greed is probably the best way to curb it. White collar crimes also need to be prosecuted. They are doing just as much if not more to destroy the economy. Just because someone is rich, a sports figure, celebrety or politician should not give them any more priveledges that the middle classs have.
Bailouts... We as taxpayers are footing the bailout. If the banks that took the money don't want to open credit. Take the money back. They have no problem being part of the problem that caused this mess and continue to escalate it by ramping up interest rates to credit card holders, (The next sub prime bubble to burst).
If they only want to take the money but don't want to be part of the solution, take the money back and let them fail. People want to refinance and consolidate and get back on foot. The banks are preventing this and maintaining the environment to cause more failures and defaults to happen.
I Hope this next years sessions and the shift in controls can start doing things to shift us back into the great world leader and great economy that created this country.