Right on target
Call me cranky. Say I am just not willing to write anything positive about this organization. Whatever. I inwardly cheered when I read Tim Spalding’s (LibraryThing) critique of OCLC’s latest report. It is right on target. By way of contrast, Andrew Pace gushes about how “this is our report; we paid for it” and how we should be proud of OCLC for producing it and making it freely available. Gag. This is NOT our (the entire world of libraries) report! And why should we (again, the implication is that ‘we’ encompasses all librarians) be thrilled with a glossy report that cost how much? to produce, and a weird new logo that cost how much? for someone to dream up? Ugh. All I can see are dollar signs when most libraries have relatively little dollars to spend.
Tim makes a more cogent point that the report makes no mention of LibraryThing or any of its competitors, yet purports to be a report that discusses social networks. That is pretty strange, I agree.
Why am I being so negative? Well, for one thing, I think we (yes, I am implying all librarians) are way too ready to swallow any old codswallop presented to us in a nice package. Let’s be a lot more discerning and critical for a change. Also, and more precisely, I strongly object to the idea that keeps getting pushed by prominent techie leaders that OCLC represents us (implying, all libraries). It represents many, but not all.
