From the Editor's Computer
By
the time you read this, I’ll have celebrated a milestone birthday. However, it doesn’t really feel like much of
a milestone in the sense of an achievement such as earning my Master degree or
celebrating the 11th anniversary of the Chautauqua. I didn’t have to take a
class or learn anything special. All I
had to do to accomplish this was to wake up each morning and keep breathing
throughout the day! Additionally, it is
just a number, and not a number that I happen to feel. In fact, I feel a good decade younger (not a
decade older as my younger sister may try to convince you is so).
On the other hand, I do have another special
milestone coming up shortly. May
12, 2013
will mark my 15th anniversary of employment at the Alix Public Library. Since I was never (never say never)
ever going to work in Alix, and was not even supposed to be hired for this job,
marking 15 years is a major accomplishment!
A lot has changed in those mere 15
years. We went from no computers to
staff and public access computers which connected to the internet via dial-up
then fibre, then wi-fi. From card
catalogues to online catalogues. From
print books to eBooks. From books on
cassette tapes to books on CDs, MP3s, and now eAudiobooks. From VHS to DVDs and Blue-Ray. Just to name a few of the innovations.
Daily processes too have changed. For example, requesting a book required
looking through the monstrous tomes of books in print. Then we had to fill out a form in
triplicate. If the item existed in the
Parkland System, a copy of the request would be sent to a library. If they had it on the shelf, and were willing
to lend it, it was sent out. If not,
their refusal was returned to Parkland and the next library would be contacted. The
entire process could take months! Now, a quick search of the online catalogue
will instantly tell you which library has the item and how many people are
waiting for it. A few keystrokes are all
that is required to request the item, with arrival times measured in days and
weeks.
While doom-and-gloomers will tell you that
libraries are passé, rest assured there will always be a need to connect people
with information.
Beth
To contact The Chautauqua, email: thechautauqua@gmail.com.
