Roles of Librarians in “Desk Set” – OR – Perspectives on Information Dissemination and Technology

562 Week 1 History of Libraries and Computing

Week 01 Reading Assignments

Textbook:

Burke, J. (2016) Chapters 1 & 2, pp 3-24.

Online Resources:

1. Berners-Lee, T., Hendler, J., & Lassila, O. (2001). The semantic web (PDF).
2. British Museum – Historic writing. (n.d.). Retrieved January 24, 2014, from http://www.britishmuseum.org/explore/themes/writing/historic_writing.aspx
3. Bush, V. (1945, July). As We May Think. The Atlantic. Retrieved from http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/1945/07/as-we-may-think/303881/
4. Carr, N. G. (2003). IT doesn’t matter. Harvard Business Review, 81 (5), 41-49.
5. Computer History Museum | Timeline of Computer History. (n.d.). Retrieved January 22, 2014, from http://www.computerhistory.org/timeline/
6. Kahle, B. (2007). A free digital library. Retrieved from https://www.ted.com/talks/brewster_kahle_builds_a_free_digital_library
7. Nelson, A., & Irwin, J. (2014). Defining what we do — all over again: Occupational identity, technological change, and the librarian/Internet-search relationship. Academy of Management Journal, 57(3), 892-928.
8. Nelson, T. (2008). Ted Nelson demonstrates Xanadu Space. [Video]. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=3&v=En_2T7KH6RA
9. Noel, W. (2012, April). Revealing the lost codex of Archimedes. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.ted.com/talks/william_noel_revealing_the_lost_codex_of_archimedes.html

A Note About the Week’s Discussion Assignments

This week, you are asked to complete only one of two discussion assignments.

One requires you to obtain and view the 1957 movie Desk Set, starring Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn, then provide some commentary and analysis. The second requires you to answer several questions about the week’s reading assignments.

You are expected to devote some time to answering all the discussion questions thoughtfully and with a scholar’s precision. Please read the discussion questions early in the week, decide which you will answer, and start your reading and note-taking as soon as you are able.

Week 01 Discussion 1 of 2: Roles of Librarians in “Desk Set” – OR – Perspectives on Information Dissemination and Technology – You only need to answer Discussion 1 or Discussion 2

Week 01 Discussion 1 of 2: Roles of Librarians in “Desk Set” – OR – Perspectives on Information Dissemination and Technology

Value: 10 points.
Grading Category: Weekly Assignment, 20%

Week 01 Discussion 1: Roles of Librarians in “Desk Set”

Instructions

(Remember, this week you only have to participate in one of the discussion forums—either this one, or Discussion 2: Perspectives on Information Dissemination and Technology. The instructions for Discussion 2 also appear in this forum, below the instructions for Discussion 1.)

Watch the 1957 movie Desk Set, starring Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn.

This movie is available through a variety of services, including:

• YouTube (Free) – https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=3&v=244SeRiP__M&feature=youtu.be
• YouTube (Premium)
• Desk Set Transcript

Desk Set Transcript

Speaker 1: Yes, it’s Spencer Tracy as you’ve never seen him before and Katharine Hepburn as you’ve always wanted to see her. They’ll have you rocking and rolling with laughter as they match wits with Miss [Emi 00:00:17], the machine that can replace everybody except a woman like Katy. Wow.

Speaker 2: What are you thinking, Bonnie?

Bonnie: Except for sex, what’s left?

Speaker 1: Meet the Desk Set, the girls and boys who make the office such a wonderful place to love in. Gig Young as the prize catch of the office, Joan Blondell, Dina Merrill, Sue Randall, Diane Jergens, Merry Anders. See the kisses, the misses, the conquests, the coffee breaks, the love breaks, and those Christmas parties where everything goes and anything can happen.

Speaker 4: I think perhaps I’d better put my clothes on. I left them in the bedroom. Oh, that sounded funny.

Speaker 5: What do you think of all that guff I swallowed that cozy night at your apartment? For the love of Pete, I even apologized to you for that, and now this I don’t know what you’re talking about routine. Look, Bunny, I don’t know what kind of a game it is you’re playing, but whatever it is, you’ve got the wrong boy.

Speaker 6: Yeah, but not Bunny Watson; it would never work.

Speaker 7: Why not?

Speaker 6: Because you’re not in love with me. You’re in love with her. She’d always come first. Anything went wrong with her, you would forget about me like that.

Speaker 7: Ah, well, you don’t know … I couldn’t care less about that. It could blow up, and it wouldn’t bother me.

Speaker 1: You’ve heard of the country club set, the station wagon set, the social set, but you ain’t seen nothing until you’ve seen what goes on and on and on with the Desk Set.

• Amazon Instant Video
• Transcript for “Desk Set” Movie

Think about the following questions as you watch the movie. When you’ve finished, post your answers to the discussion board.

1. What arguments are made about libraries and librarians and their role with information?
2. What is the role of libraries in Desk Set?
3. Looking at Nelson and Irwin’s discussion of how the profession has defined itself, how do the librarians in Desk Set define their role? Does it change over the course of the movie?
4. Why do you think this film was popular with librarians in the late 1990s?

Week 01 Discussion 2: Perspectives on Information Dissemination and Technology

Instructions

(Remember, this week you only have to participate in one of the discussion forums—either this one, or Discussion 1: Roles of Librarians in Desk Set).

1. Vannevar Bush, Brewster Kahle, Ted Nelson and Tim Berners-Lee have unique perspectives on information and its organization and dissemination. What do they have in common? Where do they diverge? How do you think they have influenced current practices in library and information management? What impact has this had on society? In your opinion, how will this affect the future?
2. Burke (2013) identifies key technological advancements that have been critical to the development of libraries. The Computer History Timeline identifies key developments critical in the development of computer systems. In your opinion, what are the 5 most important developments in technology related to libraries and computers? Why did you pick these? What impact have they had on society?
3. According to Carr and Johnson, information technology (IT) is so ubiquitous that its strategic value has diminished. IT is viewed more a commodity now than a source of competitive advantage. Do you agree? What do you think from library’s perspective?