Beside the original post, we need to reply to 2 classmates’ posts. It will be logical to answer Kimberly Poleshuk’s post since we are on the same discussion. You can feel free to another classmate’s post and provide response (even it is discussion 1 post).
Please revise ASAP. I know the library and information science subject area may be unfamiliar to you. There are specific questions from library perspectives that you did not answer. Hopefully, the examples of the classmates’ posts (see below) will help you. It helps if you read the reading materials (I uploaded them with the order) Please revise in 5 hours. Submission deadline is approaching.
Perspectives on Information Dissemination and Technology
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 (Premium)
- Desk Set Transcript
- YouTube (Free)
- 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.
- What arguments are made about libraries and librarians and their role with information?
- What is the role of libraries in Desk Set?
- 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?
- 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).
- 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?
- 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?
- 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?
Writer original draft:
Perspectives on Information Dissemination and Technology
Information Communication Technology involves electronic ways of capturing, processing and disseminating information. ICT is seen as a way of capturing a wide technological spectrum including interactive videos, computers, and internet (Bäcklund, 2011). Concerning the dissemination of information around, technology plays a crucial role. As a result of technological advancement, the electronic dissemination of information has dominated other forms that were initially used to share information. There are many benefits relating to electronic dissemination of information through technology.
Technology and information dissemination leads to the quick exchange of information and ideas, regardless of the geographical location setting people apart. Information dissemination is crucial everywhere in all sectors ranging from health, education, sports, government functions, and many others. All the sectors require a quick exchange of information between the stakeholders. Through technology and electronic transfer, the quick exchange has been made possible. The computer devices have advanced and information can get disseminated through them in different forms. In early days, some information could not be exchanged; for instance, it was hard to disseminated videos and images, but today, it is easier and takes quite a shorter time to disseminate.
Benefits of technology in the dissemination of information can be directly and indirectly realized. For example, in the health care sector, the benefits of technological information dissemination are realized directly in that health care professionals disseminate information to their clients concerning disease prevention and how to acquire health care services easily. The benefits are also realized indirectly in that it becomes to access communities in remote rural areas, and hence disease surveillance becomes easy. In the education sector, educators find it easy to disseminate information to their learners through technology. Leaners do not have to be physically present in classes or lecture halls. They can interact and exchange information with their educators anywhere using computer devices.
CLASSMATES’ Discussion Posts and reply responses to either Discussion 1 or Discussion 2:
Example of classmate discussion post to discussion 1
Re: Week 01 Discussion 1 of 2: Roles of Librarians in “Desk Set” – OR – Perspectives on Information Dissemination and Technology
by Iberia Dunning – Friday, August 30, 2019, 1:58 PM
- What arguments are made about libraries and librarians and their role with information?
Librarians are predominantly female and they are very helpful. For example, saying, “What can I help you with?” The film was set in an era of computer introduction. IT was located in a tall building so it was not readily accessible to the flow of people on the street. Most all requests were taken by phone. There was a runner who would deliver material to requesters on other floors. The library utilized the Dewey Decimal System. All requests were handwritten or of knowledge of the reference personnel.
- What is the role of libraries in Desk Set?
The role of the libraries in Desk Set is to provide information to the community, accommodate queries, and host Christmas parties.
- Looking at Nelson and Irwin’s discussion of how the profession has defined itself, how do the librarians in Desk Setdefine their role? Does it change over the course of the movie?
In the film librarians define their role as reference librarians. This is in line Nelson and Irwin’s discussion of the human “paradox of expertise.” As in Nelson and Irwin’s discussion technology changes the role of reference librarians. Also, the technology is introduced to the library by a technology expert not a librarian.
- Why do you think this film was popular with librarians in the late 1990s?
I think it was popular for several reasons:
- The film is very sexist in that all females had ultimately a male boss
- Libraries were adopting personal computers and the internet for reference information
- The film was also fraught with harassment of females
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Example of classmate’s reply post
Re: Week 01 Discussion 1 of 2: Roles of Librarians in “Desk Set” – OR – Perspectives on Information Dissemination and Technology
by Erik Valenzuela – Friday, August 30, 2019, 4:45 PM
Hi Iberia,
You brought up a good point about Nelson and Irwin’s “paradox of expertise.” I can see that in a few characters in Desk Set that are professionals and do not see the possibility of a computer making their jobs easier. As technology was introduced to the library professionals in the movie, the computer operator was not familiar with the information it was feeding into the computer and caused it to malfunction. Technology though was briefly useful, it did not have the expertise like the library professionals or librarian had to accommodate for the questions that were being received. For a movie that was made in 1957, it provide an interesting interpreting in how technology can impact referencing and retrieving information. Thanks for sharing.
Erik
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Example of classmate discussion post to discussion 1
Re: Week 01 Discussion 1 of 2: Roles of Librarians in “Desk Set” – OR – Perspectives on Information Dissemination and Technology
by Erik Valenzuela – Friday, August 30, 2019, 4:34 PM
Week 01 Discussion 1: Roles of Librarians in “Desk Set”
- What arguments are made about libraries and librarians and their role with information?
The arguments made about libraries and librarians that I often hear from people while behind the reference desk at libraries is that everything can be found on the internet. Some people argue that there is no longer a need for libraries because coffee shops and bookstores offer the same type of services. Some people go as far as to say that librarians are no longer important because videos or online sources can teach one how to search for information if needed. The role of an information specialist that people tend to reflect on is one of a librarian or library professional behind a desk doing very little. As one person mentioned to me while I was at the reference desk, “everything that a person needs is a Google search away.”
- What is the role of libraries in Desk Set?
The role of libraries in the movie Desk Set is a reference/operating service. The professionals who work at the reference/research department for example, contact a number of resources to find the answers for people or companies. They call around to find answers, or even know things by memory to draw connections. Analyzing the library environment where the reference/research department is located, the professionals working there also cross reference information with the books that are stored on location.
- 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?
Looking at Nelson and Irwin’s discussion of how library professionals define themselves within the occupation and how changes in the field of library science and technology has made their profession different compared to previous generations is reflected in the movie Desk Set. While the librarians and library professionals in the movieDesk Set search and retrieve information for people in much the same way a librarian does so in the present, technology now creates a different approach in how librarians and library professionals define what they do and who they are. In Desk Set, the library professionals and librarians are scouring for information through books, telephone contacts, and even memory. They are constantly receiving phone calls from people seeking information much the same way a reference librarian receives inquiries in libraries. However, as machines/computers threaten their jobs, the library professionals become research workers to “feed” information to the new computer instead of offering assistance to people seeking information. On the flip side, as the library professionals demonstrated in the movie, computers/machines can not replace the human element when providing a service, no matter how much time a computer/machine will save.
- Why do you think this film was popular with librarians in the late 1990s?
My theory as to why this film was popular with librarians in the late 1990s is because of the emergence of the World Wide Web. People were able to use the internet to find information in much the same way that the movieDesk Set portrayed a computer/machine at the library. Perhaps its popularity with librarians in the late 1990s can also be attributed to the creation of electronic cataloging services. There are probably a number of reasons as to why the movie Desk Set was popular among library professionals in the late 1990s but I believe it is mainly due to the change in technology within their profession.
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Example of classmate’s reply post:
Re: Week 01 Discussion 1 of 2: Roles of Librarians in “Desk Set” – OR – Perspectives on Information Dissemination and Technology
by Kelly Maldonado – Saturday, August 31, 2019, 2:09 AM
Hi Erik,
I hear the same argument at the reference desk about, ” why do we even need librarians or libraries?” Frequently followed by your statement,”‘everything that a person needs is a Google search away.'” These statements are usually said by someone holding an IPAD asking me to look up something for them. I respond with, “Who do you think put it there for you to find? a Metadata librarian, an information specialist, a librarian.” My demeanor when responding is always polite and smiling a little with this response, as I continue to search for their interest. I then show them the thousands of results and ask them further questions to narrow down the results.
I also agree with your answer to number four, that it was likely popular due to the emergence of the internet and how it would change the way librarians conduct research in the future. I can tell you that as a reference librarian now, I do not have the poem Katherine Hepburn recited by Longfellow memorized. It is interesting to see how librarians must have answered questions in the past.
-Kelly
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Re: Week 01 Discussion 1 of 2: Roles of Librarians in “Desk Set” – OR – Perspectives on Information Dissemination and Technology
by Trista Tabanico – Friday, August 30, 2019, 9:57 PM
What arguments are made about libraries and librarians and their role with information?
Many arguments that can be made about librarianship is that it is predominantly women. This movie, as well as others of the time, displays that. It is also still a current trend with females making up the majority of library workers. It could also be argued that even though librarians are information specialist it seems that if they are female they get questioned more than a man would. It is clear that the men in this movie thought that they were smarter and superior even though librarians are well educated. The worry about future technology replacing people’s jobs is depicted.
What is the role of libraries in Desk Set?
The librarians in this film are referernce librarians that work with a lot of people and have to keep numbers and information with getting any of it confused. They are adept at seeking out answers and cross-checking and storing information.
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?
Nelson and Irwin’s view of librarianship and how it is defined is different in comparison to how the librarians of the Desk Set saw things. The librarians in the film were threatened by emerging technology, whereas Nelson and Irwin could see how it would benefit the profession. The Desk Set librarians were afraid of losing their jobs to computers. However, a computer cannot do the job that the ladies in the film were doing. They were answering calls and questions and that human interaction is an element that technology can not replace.
Why do you think this film was popular with librarians in the late 1990s?
I think that this film was popular in the late 1990s because that was when technology really started to change how libraries operated. This was during the time that the technology age really began to take over in society, and many workers, especially librarians were not sure how this would affect their jobs moving forward. All these changes made this film relatable to professionals of the time.
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Re: Week 01 Discussion 1 of 2: Roles of Librarians in “Desk Set” – OR – Perspectives on Information Dissemination and Technology
by Kelly Maldonado – Saturday, August 31, 2019, 2:20 AM
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Example of classmate discussion post to discussion 2
Re: Week 01 Discussion 1 of 2: Roles of Librarians in “Desk Set” – OR – Perspectives on Information Dissemination and Technology
by Kimberly Poleshuk – Friday, August 30, 2019, 10:41 PM
Discussion 02: Perspectives on Information Dissemination and Technology
While all the key technological developments that Burke outlines are important to the progression of the library and addition into computer systems, there are five that stood out to me to me over the 10. The first development would be writing and paper, this is crucial to the progression of society and communication. Without writing we would not have literature, documentation, or the library. Second I found classification systems important. Classification systems exists everywhere so it only makes sense for the library to adopt these systems and use them to help people find relevant materials for them, a library could not be a library as well without a classification system. The development of personal computers was huge for technological advancement. Like Burke suggest they “made a huge impact on society,” I agree. I would argue that personal computers made more of an impact on society first, which then in turn affected libraries and how they would change in order to accommodate the change that has already happened. Online searching is a development that coincides that of personal computers and speaks to the level of curiosity and necessity to search for information from the patron’s point of view. Libraries now compete with different online search software and websites. Having had a lot of experience and growing up with different online searching it is difficult to imagine not having instant access to information. Of course both personal computers and online searching would not be complete without the technological development of the internet. The internet has had one of the biggest impact on society in the twenty-first century and continues to alter every aspect of society, sometimes running faster than we can catch up. As it has been proven by study, the library is also trying to keep up with the speed of the internet and its affect on new technological developments. Like Burke points out the internet has allowed for a step away from the physical book to e-books and online databases, which again greatly expand the scope that patrons have access to knowledge. We are an educated society. Lastly one of my favourite points that Burke makes is development 10: “A society that wants and requires technology,” the library would not be anything without patrons coming to the library with a desire to learn and help advance themselves in literature and information literacy. Specifically the library has recently been more popular in information literacy and different services in order for patrons to remain up to date with technologies themselves. Society also uses the library and the technologies that are housed when they do not have access to it themselves. This is an important role of the library to uphold and reasons why they deserve more funding in order to provide for local communities. While not all of these are advancements in computer systems specifically each has an impact on how computer systems were influenced and shaped to how we use them today, each step is just as important as the last.
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Re: Week 01 Discussion 1: Roles of Librarians in “Desk Set”
by Kelly Maldonado – Saturday, August 31, 2019, 2:00 AM
- What arguments are made about libraries and librarians and their role with information?
I often hear the argument that libraries are becoming obsolete and that Google does the same thing as a librarian. This argument is often said by someone who does not visit a library often enough.
Other arguments I hear just as often, if not more, is that libraries are vital institutions to our communities and represent culture and knowledge. Librarians play an essential role in disseminating information to the public and make it accessible to those who do not have access to said information. Many individuals today do not have access to technology, and libraries give them that access. Besides, many individuals are digitally illiterate and need help navigating the internet/ technology to access information; librarians help those individuals.
- What is the role of libraries in Desk Set?
Librarians in Desk Jet disseminate information through memorization and through referencing resources they have available. They answer reference questions over the phone and do so with knowledge they have acquired from years of experience working in the reference department in the movie.
- 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?
The librarians in Desk Set define their role as information retrievers, almost to the point of being “human googles.” By that I mean they have retained most of the information they have gathered for inquiries over the years and manually look up information from the books and resources on hand when they do not know it off the top of their head. Their role changes near the end of the movie when they realize that Emerak(?) machine is not meant to replace them, but meant to assist them in saving time in their information retrieval.
- Why do you think this film was popular with librarians in the late 1990s?
I believe this film was popular to librarians in the late 1990’s because it depicted the fears, they had about emerging technology at the time, but also helped alleviate those fears with the ending, giving librarians a happy outcome. It might even have been because the film is a classic, and Katherine Hepburn, a well-known actress. This film depicted a positive result for emerging technology and probably helped librarians realize how the internet and such could make their jobs easier.
References
Bäcklund, S. (2011, March). The role of information technology (IT) in disseminating statistics: Focusing user needs and expectations. In Workshop on Population Data Analysis, Storage and Dissemination Technologies, second ESCAP workshop, Bangkok (pp. 27-30).
