Abstract Collection Descriptions

So you've heard the term "a rounded collection".Well what about a lumpy collection? This is what happens when you've got a bunch of subject specialists with no authority. I've seen it first person.
A dented collection is still a good one, it just needs to be updated in some areas.

I think in the case of the library in which I currently work, we've got a rather dented collection with one lump. The lump would be our very well developed humanities section thanks to our knowledgable Coordinator, but we're workin on those dents!

A dorky librarian note: I actually awoke from a deep sleep on Christmas Eve and immediately rushed to my computer to create this post. What a nerd!

Innovative gets innovative again

Innovative Intefaces will launch a Pub Sub-like RSS feature in its new OPAC enabling the results of any boolean OPAC search to be sent to a library user. How cool is that!? For example, when I search for ("Abraham Lincoln" AND rivals) I'll be sure to know as soon as my library receives this brand new book. It's really great to see library services companies begin to adopt technology from ecommerce.

"Collective Intelligence"? NOT!

Relating to my previous post about Tim O'reiley's comments on the next big life-altering innovation:

This article is a beautiful example of the complete failure of, so called, "collective intelligence". For hundreds of years, the publishing industry has made it very difficult for false information to be disseminated in a medium that's freely available to all. Since the development of the WWW, anyone can publish anything, and with the advent of wiki's, it's only becoming easier.

Will there come a day when valid information no longer exists? There will be no editors (with high or terminal degrees in their fields), there will be no expensive printing presses, no reference books or reference librarians. All information will be hearsay taken as truth, and we will exist in a world of misinformation.

I think Wikipedia has great potential for harnessing the planet’s collective ignorance and promoting it as god-given truth…I’m shaking in my librarian boots.