For those readers who are not librarians or who do not have a second address that is also coincidentally the address of a public, college or company library you might not realize just how books come to be selected for your library. Some are slected because you, the user of the library has requested that the book be placed in the library, some are selected because they have local interest, and are therefore germain to the collection of that library. Others are germain to a specialty of a library, such as graphic novels, travel books or other genres. Some, however come with the recommendation of powerful industry journals such as Library Journal, Kirkus Reviews or Booklist. Slate.com has an interesting article about this topic.

Some in the library field have noticed a decline in the love of the book. As much as we might like to deny it, the computer and the DVD have for some become the first language of the library query. In many places, the library is the home computer room for the children, mom and dad. In many places, the library is the wall upon which their videos are stored. As the MySpace Generation overtakes the MTV Generation and leaves the Baby Boomers in the dust, what we are left with in some cases are dusty books that for some represent treasured resources, but for others represent space in the library that could be used for more computers.

Some have become so despondent about the lack of book readership that they have taken to book burning. Some in the the Library service lament the rise of the computer over the book. But in the sense of a childhood game of Rock, Paper, Sissors, one could look at it two ways. Either we are looser for phasing out a technology that has been our trademark for eons, or we are winners for being inviting to the game of life and being asked to play our new hand of providing the newest technologies to those who cannot afford them and to those who would enjoy them more in our comfortable environment complete with our expert services. I think we win. Those who face the future with optimism win eventually, those who face the future with fatalism have been defeated before their future has even been written.

I've decided to take this blog in a new direction. From now on it will be focused on the issues of the role of the media and it's influence on libraianship. The name of this blog and my handle are taken from a rock group with literary fascinations which melds perfectly with my own interests as a libraian. So here's to the RELAUNCH OF WRITE THE CLOCK AROUND!