Human Response to Library Technology

Citation

Freeman, M. (2001), "Human Response to Library Technology", New Library World, Vol. 102 No. 7/8, pp. 296-299. https://doi.org/10.1108/nlw.2001.102.7_8.296.4

This solid, workmanlike collection of writings on the important theme of the human reaction to library technology is typical of the well placed and productive niche the quality thematic journal Library Trends has established within the profession, not just in the USA but worldwide. As the two editors sagely point out, in a world dominated by electronic technologies and communication media will libraries and librarians reside only in the faded memories of the old? A pertinent and pressing point and this collection covers this salient concern of the dehumanisation of information seeking and the information world very well indeed. For the sceptical Luddite out there in cyberspace a good authoritative analysis of the many problems and the hype surrounding the Internet is very welcome and timely.

There are some excellent articles here, written by knowledgeable and experienced practitioners, notably a thoughtful piece on the electronic revolution in the library by Gertrude Himmelfarb which, even though it was written in 1977, is prophetic in its breadth and vision. It is welcoming to note a well organised and useful article by Dorothy Jones on those neglected stalwarts of the library – the support staff and their perceptions and opinions on technology in the working environment. Laverna Saunders writes a perceptive article on the virtual library and the way technology has brought sweeping change to library organisation and working structures. She has some valuable perceptions on the place of censorship on the Web and its multifarious problems for librarians, seen in the US context of the First Amendment. In a real way public expectations of what libraries and librarians can and should provide are far exceeding our own existing professional provision; an oncoming area of conflict and dissatisfaction looms ahead.

All in all, a well produced volume with a good index, containing some thoughtful “human element in the machine” musings and prophecies – a useful book for all librarians despite its US bias, and maybe required reading for all technical services/ICT people in LIS units. The Luddite in me smiled wryly at the inclusion in the References of Stoll’s 1995 article “Silicon snake oil: second thoughts on the information highway” – just about sums it up!