Where are the librarians?


Chronological Thread 
  • From: Taylor Willingham <taylor@austin-pacific.com>
  • To: Deliberate Listserv <DELIBERATE@ala.org>
  • Subject: Where are the librarians?
  • Date: Sat, 6 Sep 2008 13:54:32 -0500
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The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation has established a Commission on the Information Needs of Communities in a Democracy. According to the web site (http://knightcomm.org/background), the commission members will "include prominent leaders from the fields of business, communications, politics, higher education, and general community organizations." Furthermore, the Aspen Institute is forming an Advisory Group of "leaders from within and beyond the academy in communications, journalism, media studies, public opinion research, law, political science, business, economics, sociology, social work, and other fields" to help implement the Commission's research agenda. 

 Where are the librarians? I've been all over the site and haven't seen a mention of libraries as a partner in this endeavor. Certainly they should be!

This commission is charged to research the following three questions:

  • What are the information needs of communities in our American democracy?
  • What are the current trends affecting how community information needs are met?
  • What changes will ensure that community information needs will be better met in the future?

Aren't these questions that the library field is also asking. 

The commission will be holding three community meetings:
  • Mountain View, CA: September 8
  • Philadelphia, PA: September 27
  • Missoula, MT: October 25

If you live in one of the three community forum areas, I urge you to attend the meeting. 

Check out the web site and the webcasts of prior meetings. Then add your thoughts about how/why libraries should be involved to their comment forum: http://knightcomm.org/contact

Taylor




Taylor L. Willingham
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