Mike Maguire asks:

"Are we as ready for this "dialogue" as we should be?"

The dialogue has been going on for a long time. I remember 
it at Information Industry Association meetings in the 1970s.

But the "polylogue" involving many interested parties, not just
publishers and librarians, has only arisen since market forces 
drove the cost of access down to a level at which we could
aspire to universal access in economically advanced countries.
This will mean provision of subsidised equipment and services
to a diminishing minority of people unable to afford their own.

By contrast, the public libraries always expected to serve a 
majority who were too poor to afford expensive books and
serials.  Publishers lost little because the borrowers were
not going to be buyers if they could not borrow.

Times have moved on for both libraries and publishers.Those
of us who are neither need to contribute to the debate from
an interested but, as between the two principle protagonists, 
disinterested standpoint. There are more issues to resolve
than the future role of much loved buildings and their staff, and
of authors' and publishers' earnings. Was the money spent
on the wonderful new British Library (don't miss it if you are
near St Pancras) a good use of public funds? Should the UK
Hydrographic Office make profits from selling nautical charts
to sailors who can afford them while those too poor get lost 
at sea? 

These myriad issues, raised by the technological progress
which has driven business forward for a century, warrant full
debate by those concerned about the economic, social,
political, legal and ethical implications. At the moment, the 
debate is dominated by those wishing to protect the past
against the future, because they can demonstrate what
will be lost (much of it of great value) while those who speak
for the future have nothing to show yet.

Centuries ago, both publishers and libraries had to argue for 
their future roles. Eventually they won, because a few were
willing to take on the establishment so that many could 
follow.

Let polylogue flourish! Get involved now.

Adrian Norman
 

 



Message text written by Mike Maguire
> 
Thanks for the alert Kevin, interesting to see this "going on".

Just a personal view ... I guess there is a "bottom line" to be found for
publishers etc. to have a viable digital future ... but this has to have a
solution clearly supporting inclusive access. How the technical and
societal
frontiers of thinking and development can combine to this effect in a
digital "knowledge industry" driven transnational world is going to need a
good deal of active participation at all levels. The recent mini-furore in
the EC over copyright issues and public library access comes to mind.

Are we as ready for this "dialogue" as we should be?

Mike
Mike Maguire
Group Librarian S & E Devon
Devon Lifelong Learning
01392 384223
mailto:[log in to unmask]
http://www.devon.gov.uk/library/
Unless otherwise stated the views expressed are
personal and not necessarily those of Devon County Council



> -----Original Message-----
> From: Kevin Harris [SMTP:[log in to unmask]]
> Sent: 17 July 2001 18:35
> To:   [log in to unmask]
> Subject:      libraries and free information
>
> Forwarded from the Digital Divide list. Apologies for cross-posting
> kevin
>
> >Date:         Tue, 17 Jul 2001 11:45:56 -0400
> >Reply-To: The DIGITALDIVIDE discussion group <[log in to unmask]>
> >Sender: The DIGITALDIVIDE discussion group <[log in to unmask]>
> >From: Frank Roberts <[log in to unmask]>
> >Subject:      [DIGITALDIVIDE] libraries and free information
> >To: [log in to unmask]
> >
> >
> >
> >Hi, all,
> >I am a first time contributor, but after reading the article listed
> below,
> >I had to make a couple of comments.  In the US especially, but
throughout
> >the world, public libraries make information available to people in most
> >cases for free, or in some cases on a cost recovery basis.  For some
time
> >now, however, the publishing industry has been trying to figure out a
way
> >to put a stop to what they see as a Napster-type entity of longstanding
> >(libraries).  God forbid that we loan books for free and make online
> >information available to anyone, regardless of ability to pay. 
According
> >to the publishing industry (read the article listed below), we are
> >equivalent to religious zealots or white supremacists!  Just thought I
> >would share this with the digital divide community.  Frank Roberts
> >([log in to unmask])
> >
> >http://news.cnet.com/news/0-1005-201-6545588-0.html
> >
> >
> ______________________________________________________________________
>
> Kevin Harris
> Community Development Foundation
> http://www.cdf.org.uk
> +44 207 226 5375
> fax 207 704 0313
> 60 Highbury Grove London N5 2AG
> ______________________________________________________________________




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