People Need to Know

A lingering thought from Librarian Science Camp.

It was interesting to see some of the presenters really give credit to libraries and librarians for making sure that information, articles, etc. that they need are stored, organized and available, while others did not do this so much.

Granted, the ones who gave us mad props may have just been being nice. Or trying to mollify us, out of fear that we would suddenly snap and start tearing people limb from limb if not appeased. Because you never know, with a critical mass of librarians. Behind our helpful, pleasant demeanor, there could easily be hidden a seething blood rage. But it hardly matters: credit is credit, I say.

However, it's evident that some people really do think that "it's all online" so the library isn't really necessary. Even when they just said that what's online is expensive journals that (one would imagine) someone has to subscribe to to make sure they can get them, and it's probably not the department chair, although one never knows.

Clearly it's an ongoing struggle to get the word out that the library is not just that building with the books, but includes a vast online presence dedicated to ensuring that you can actually get full text access to the stuff you want to read.

Vast Online Library Presence is what I'm going to be promoting from here on. So, VOLP, I guess.

It's going to be presented as a lurking force, hovering over, under and below all your online dealings. Looming out of sight just behind your screen. Watching your every click and making sure there's a full text article on the other side of the link, whenever said full text has been lawfully purchased and made available for the current students, faculty and staff of this fine institution.

Not creepy at all.

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