Access at the library - or not?

Libraries have a unique opportunity to be a leader for the citizens in their communities to be fully involved in the networked world. Or -- libraries have the ability to close their eyes to the needs of the citizens and become irrelevant. I fear that some libraries are choosing the route to irrelevancy.

For instance, I shared some ideas with a teacher about how blogging is used in classrooms to motivate students to think and write. We explored possible ideas to implement, and she went back to her school all excited. Trouble is, she was told that in her district, access to any blogging is forbidden and blocked. It appears the decision is based on fear and a desire to protect the students from exposure. Trouble is, the school is abdicating their opportunity to teach cyber safety to students who will almost assuredly find another avenue to social computing without the enlightenment of teachers who would model constructive participation in their Web world.

Equally disturbing to me is the attitude of some public libraries that they don’t see their responsibility to their communities as including assistance in using E-mail. In fact there are libraries that reserve access to the Internet to “research” only which definitely does not include E-mail or other sites such as MySpace.

If the library is the community’s information utility and the professionals who work there are not resources and models on information technology (which really has become more business-as-usual that revolution), who else is there to do it? In the recent strategic planning process at a member library, the planning committee made a strong statement that they wanted their library to be a cutting edge technology leader.

So, what have I seen as good library leadership models in blogging (as an example of employing new technologies or modes of communication)? Just a few examples:

David Warlick (2 Cents Worth) quotes teachers on students’ use of blogging in Why Kids Blog

The front page of the Ann Arbor Michigan Public Library is the Director’s blog in which she invites comments – and the community does talk to her

Mabry Georgia School District website is a communication tool with the superintendent and teachers blogging assignments, reading lists, and a repository of podcasts of presentations, meetings, etc.

The Teen Zone Blog at the Wilmington Massachusetts Public Library

The Waterbury Public Library Blog

. . . . and last but not least, 9 of our members (thus far) are getting on board and have at least stuck their toe in the water. I’m particularly proud of our blogging libraries - directory