Week Two-Reading Notes

So, it’s not magic…

I don’t ooze with confidence when it comes to explaining how computers work.  I tend to be more of the typical “end user” that programmers and engineers have in mind when they are working to design a program that would have practical application.  Both of the Wikipedia articles gave me a better understanding and appreciation for all of the details that go into getting my computer to do what I would like it to do.  Truth be told, a bit of the magic has been dispelled by learning more about the language and coding methods which are used to communicate between machines.  However, computers and all that they can do now and will do in the future still remains pretty amazing.

Anything is for Sale

The article about the European Digital Library and ensuing funding challenges was a bit of a surprise to me.  I recognize there the expense when digitizing vast amounts of material.   Adopting a business model which seeks to develop partnerships to enhance the funding for the project makes sense.  My concern is that few alliances come with “no strings attached,” and therefore will somehow taint or bias what and how items are digitized. 

Albums, Cassette Tapes, CDs

These items should serve as a reminder that technology increases at such a rapid rate that what is popular today as a delivery vehicle, will soon be improved upon in the form of a new technology and thus become outdated.  Digitization:  Is It Worth It? is a great article that forces us to examine what we are doing and why we are doing it.  It seems that digitization is the new hot topic in libraries.  While the goal to increase access is admirable, it makes me wonder, “How long will it be accessible?”  I was fascinated by the “real” cost of digitizing a single page of a manuscript.  Perhaps an environmental scan of sorts ought to be conducted to learn what users/students/scholars etc. would really have an interest in having in a digital and therefore accessible format.   These are the items that should be prioritized for the most people to be able to access.  I can only hope that the methods being used to digitize many of these valuable resources will remain compatible with the technology that we adopt in the not so distant future.