On 11/24/2013 9:20 PM, Melissa Powell wrote:
<snip>
I think the best thing to do in all of this is look at the big picture. Smart
discussions occurred when we began automating. What do we give up?
The better question is, What does this change? Based on that you start looking
at how the staff workflow changes, how the organizational flow changes, what
shifts are occurring. By doing this it is no longer 'what are we giving up?'
but 'what are we changing/shifting?'
Using this method we can often find savings elsewhere rather than giving up
staff or cutting the budget. not always but often.
This is happening and the sooner we on the ground take the reins the better it
is for us. I am working with folks that are researching and creating programs
and methods that could loose us from the chains of the ILS and conglomerates
like OCLC, which most little libraries can't afford anyway.
This time we need to be the ones making the choices and decisions so we aren't
in the position of being dictated to by the vendors. We need to be one step
ahead and learning, understanding, and creating.
</snip>
These are some very good questions you are asking and I would ask if you
would share some of your thoughts. I would add a question that should
rank very high in importance: how has it changed for the public? As
always, if you don't make something that the public wants, even though
all the so-called "experts" may love what you are doing, it will make
absolutely no difference. History is full of such examples. It is what
the public wants that overrides everything else.
I particularly like your statement: "... so we aren't in the position of
being dictated to by the vendors" and here I would add: nor by any other
groups that are self-interested. Each group must be expected to lay out
a good case and not just proclaim: "You have no choice"--or as was
stated by some others, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ItHcsIHshhs
--
James Weinheimer weinheimer.ji...@gmail.com First Thus
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