Readings

I'd like to begin my readings discussion with The OCLC Environmental Scan: Pattern Recognition. I only picked this one because I remember hearing George Needham at a library conference one year talk about a study on how people used libraries. Here is the study:

Perceptions of Libraries and Information Resources

http://www.oclc.org/reports/2005perceptions.htm

The Environmental Scan reading was about how the word "change" has become a cliche. We hear it so much and so often, that to really think about all the changes impacting us, in a word is, overwhelming. I was hit in the face with what was said in the section on "The Library Landscape." I have been hearing that libraries need to think about "newer kinds of jobs," i.e., digital scholarship and open source projects. But in recent times, we have all been "doing everything ourselves" so to read that we need to get over this begs the question, "Who's going to do it then? or, Do I need to worry about it?" Perhaps, some of us are caught in the middle--move on but you still have your job to do. I still need to concern myself with the collection because if I don't, who will? But being collection centric is old fashioned. I guess I'm old fashioned because it matters to me. But so does moving on. Bottom line: it isn't about me--it's about the user.

I then read, Environmental Scanning and the Public Library. Published in 1999, the philosophy is basically the same as the OCLC article. I felt the reading was somewhat dated but the ideal was consistent in that libraries must scan their environment in order to understand the external forces of change. Only then are they able to secure or improve their position in the future.

One last article I want to comment on is, What Went Wrong? Unsuccessful information technology projects. I agree with the three most common reasons for project failure but I think when you are new at planning a project, it isn't easy to be aware of every aspect needed or required to be absolute about it's success. Experience helps. Even with proper planning, unforeseen incidents may occur. How do you plan for key people leaving in the middle of a project? But I did like the reading since it gave me insight into various deficiencies in planning models. Comments from surveyed individuals were interesting and useful. I was surprised at one problem being lack of skills or expertise on the part of the project manager. But I understand this happens more often than not.