The First Amendment Congress and the Future of America

I would just like to start off this post by announcing...

I PASSED THE COMPREHENSIVE EXAM!!!

Yes, after months of studying and reading and analyzing I have passed and (bar any further mishap) will be graduating in December!  Yay me!

Okay, so this week I attended the First Amendment Congress where I was priviledged to listen to the great Marvin Kalb speak about the death of the newspaper and the transformation of news.  It was eye opening to say the least!  He discussed the evolution of news from the newsroom of newspapers to the production of TV news to online news and blogs.  He explained how CBS's 60 Minutes program began the death of "news for the sake of news."  This was the first time that those in charge of television stations discovered that they could make a profit from news.  And so, news took on a new purpose and outlook... not to inform people about the goings on of the world but to turn a profit.  News stations used to be a watchdog of government.  Now they are concerned with ratings and statistics.  He explained that there used to be a developed trust between the government and the reporter, as well as the reporter and the viewer.  This trust was earned not given freely.  This trust no longer exists.

With today's ever-growing popularity of online news outlets as sources of information, the death of the newspaper grows more eminent.  People are relying on blogs for their information.  While this can be good due to first hand accounts, it can become a horrible trend.  Who are these bloggers that the public is placing there trust in?  What is their motivation?  Did they go and interview the active players at the center of the conflict they are reporting on?  Are they taking both sides into account?  Did they go there and collect information or are they gathering it from other news sources?  These are things few people consider from the sources they are relying on.

This concept was never more evident than on the Student Day of the First Amendment Congress.  The students were active in discussing their thoughts on their rights and where to go for information.  However, their lack of concern when it came to safety and reliability was disconcerting.  They relied heavily on blogs for information and did not question where the information was coming from, as well as how Google generated its top hits.  They had no concern for the information they were placing on the Internet about themselves.  Instead, they claimed they knew it all and they weren't stupid.  I know this is a strong belief among most teens and always has been.  This perceived invincibility only waivers when unnecessary tragedy strikes too close to home.   

Even with this perceived invincibility and lack of regard for reliable sources among most of the students, I saw a sort of hope among others.  A student debate on the reliability of web sources shed light on the possible future of America.  These kids have grown up only knowing the Internet and easy availability of information.  The students involved in the debate were intelligent and aware.  They were quick thinking and knowledgable.  Even some responses from the crowd were also intelligent and illustrated an awareness of the issues of today.  These responses gave me hope of what our future may look like if students like these are to run America.

Save the Library!!!

I am a long time reader of Scott Douglas' "Dispatches from a Public Librarian."  His stories of his work at a small public library close to Disneyland are usually humorous and totally relatable.  However, Douglas' recent dispath really hit home about the budget cuts that are affecting libraries all over the country in a time when our country needs us the most.

Please check it out here:
http://www.mcsweeneys.net/links/librarian/notfunny.html

And spread the word!   

Finishing Up the "23 Things"

Between studying for Comps, keeping up with homework, and working on a big project for work, I managed to squeeze in some time to check out the rest of the "23 Things."  Here is my final evaluation.

The "23 Things" really opened my eyes to how information is evolving in format and in use.  Social networking is changing how we form and maintain relationships.  A person can create a blog with a main focus.  They can connect their Facebook, Twitter, and Flickr accounts to it so people who read their blog, people who they may have never met if it wasn't for the blog, can communicate with them and follow them to see what they are up to. 

People can now collaborate and communicate from a distance with tools like wikis and GoogleDocs.  These tools allow for people to meet and work on projects without having to meet face to face.  Students and workers alike can utilize these tools to cut down on travel time and to get projects accomplished.

Speaking of students, they can now utilize tools such as Facebook, podcasts, Flickr, PictureTrail, and Flicks to enrich their presentations.  Digital media is allowing for students to take information they are learning in their classes and share that information in new and creative ways. 

Libraries are getting in on the action too!  By utilizing such services as LibraryThing and social tagging in their catalogs, libraries are allowing their users to make and share their own connections through literature as well as providing a service that will help their library users find not only the information they are looking for but new and relevant information they did not know about but may need.

With my focus in library school being Young Adult Services, I couldn't help but enjoy reading about libraries and gaming.  This is a big draw for teens when libraries hold gaming nights.  My library does it and I think it's a great idea!  It gets teens in the door.  Then it's the librarian's job to show them what their library has to offer.  Not too mention all the Guitar Hero you get to play for free!!!  (on a sad note, I recently came across an article that stated one of my state senators was trying to cut funding for gaming in libraries because it was "unneccessary and a waste of money."  I wonder if he ever used the library as a teen, yet alone now as a senator and grown man...)

I've personally found del.icio.us to be a very helpful service because it allows me to collect helpful articles I come across through my research.  I have them all in one place and can share them and find more through this service!

All in all, I really enjoyed my journey through the "23 Things."  I think that when used with a purpose, they can make life a lot less complicated and projects a lot more interesting looking!  However, I think we, as users, need to discuss and contemplate the implications using these services brings.  What of privacy and confidentiality?  How will that effect a library's policies and procedures regarding Facebook, YouTube, and Flickr?  How can we fund gaming in the library when budget cuts are hanging over our heads?  I think these are great tools that when used for individual use, need to be used carefully and with a purpose.  However, when being used by a library, careful consideration and development of policies need to be addressed before implementation.

And that's my thoughts on "23 Things!"  Back to studying for Comps!