The Information Professional
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Librarians and Archivists in a fast-changing digital lanscape
Curated by Karen du Toit
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Rescooped by Karen du Toit from Digital Delights - Digital Tribes onto The Information Professional
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We Think, YouTube animation based on book by Charles Leadbeater

A new book by Charles Leadbeater, 'We Think' explores the potential of the latest developments of the internet...

 

> The Internet as enabler of mass innovation!

 

"We Think explores how the web is changing our world, creating a culture in which more people than ever can participate, share and collaborate, ideas and information.

Ideas take life when they are shared. That is why the web is such a potent platform for creativity and innovation.

It's also at the heart of why the web should be good for : democracy, by giving more people a voice and the ability to organise themselves; freedom, by giving more people the opportunity to be creative and equality, by allowing knowledge to be set free.

But sharing also brings with it dilemmas.

It leaves us more open to abuse and invasions of privacy.

Participation is not always a good thing: it can just create a cacophony.

Collaboration is sustained and reliable only under conditions which allow for self organisation.

Everywhere we turn there will be struggles between people who want to freely share - music, films, ideas, information - and those who want to control this activity, either corporations who want to make money or governments who fear debate and democracy. This conflict between the rising surge of mass collaboration and attempts to retain top down control will be one of the defining battles of our time, from Communist China, to Microsoft's battle with open source and the music industry's desperate rearguard action against the web."

 

First 3 chapters here (for free): http://www.wethinkthebook.net/home.aspx

 


Via Ana Cristina Pratas
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Need Info? Text the Library - Patch.com

Need Info? Text the Library - Patch.com | The Information Professional | Scoop.it

By Linda Sadlouskos:

“Recognizing the increased use of text messaging by patrons of all ages, we felt it important to offer a way to communicate with the library via text messaging,” said Ruth Lufkin, Director of Bernards Township Library. “The new service provides an easy-to-use interface for our librarians and maintains the privacy of our patrons’ information.”

Senior Reference Librarian Lynne Hilf said that the texts or chat messages can ask any question that a library patron normally would ask a reference librarian. The responses during normal library hours would include information or possibly refer the questioner to certain websites. Users also may check whether books are available, she said."

[...]

"Text-a-Librarian was developed by Mosio, an award-winning mobile technology company that enables companies and institutions to utilize mobile communications, according to information from the library."

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