Activity 4.4 Open Post

“In admitting a new body of experience, we instinctively seek to disturb as little as possible our pre-existing stock of ideas.  We always try to name a new experience in some way which will assimilate it to what we already know.  We hate anything absolutely new, anything without any name, and for which a new name must be forged.” (James pg. 78)

So why do many librarians behave as James suggests?

In these few sentences, James succinctly captures a good part of the librarian condition.    For the most part, librarians do not care for wholesale radical change.  Many prefer change incrementally.   Change can destroy the orderly world many librarians seek.  In this they are no different than others.

Digital media has been a disruptive change agent with librarians slow to accept it.  A world has been created where users now control their own information flow and its categorization.  Even though librarians have access to digital information, it may not be their source of choice; regardless, they must learn to use it to assist students and faculty who seek their help