Academy for Lifelong Learning

Eldon and I joined the Academy for Lifelong Learning sponsored by OSU for retired persons. They have a variety of classes. Last week Eldon went to one on forestry he came home excited about.

I went to one today on libraries given by a retired OSU librarian named Karyl Butcher. It was most interesting. She talked about libraries BT (before technology) when card catalogs were used. Now each library's on-line catalog can be personalized to the library. She thought this causes a loss of serendipitous browsing, but I think you can get side tracked as easily on-line and you could in the card catalogs.

She thinks the OSU library continues to be the date hub of the University and she often wonders on a Friday night, "Don't you have some place to go?"

She says nowadays librarians have to be part programmers and web designers (which our family librarian certainly is). Someone asked about applicant pools and she said there are 50 to 60 applicants for every opening. She said librarians don't get paid well. And she thought there was a disconnect between library schools and what is really needed. Librarians are information providers and they must know how to deal with people.

She used terms like "aggregating information" and "enlightened lay persons" and "triaging information" and "multi cultural databases." And although young people think it's cool to read on a kindle, books are gadgets that shouldn't be thrown out because they never run out of batteries, the resolution is good and the tactile sensation of turning pages is pleasing. But she also recognizes that people need on-line information for current research.

Evidently some libraries have cleared their shelves of books and are entirely electronic. I hope that doesn't happen here. Hurray for books!