On Wednesday, April 18, Harvard Library Strategic Conversations will sponsor an Oxford-style debate on the role of libraries. The program will be held from 3 to 4:30pm in Piper Auditorium, at the Harvard Graduate School of Design.
MOTION: Libraries are Obsolete
Chairman: Professor Jonathan Zittrain, Professor at the Harvard Law School, the Harvard Kennedy School of Government and the Harvard School of Engineering and Applied Sciences. Professor Zittrain will become Harvard Law School’s Vice-Dean of Library and Information Resources in July 2012.
Speaking in favor of the proposition: Dr. James Tracy (Headmaster, Cushing Academy), and R. David Lankes (Associate Professor at the University of Syracuse iSchool and Director of the Information Institute of Syracuse).
Speaking in opposition: Susan Hildreth (Director of the Institute of Museum and Library Services), and Professor John G. Palfrey (Vice Dean for Library and Information Resources, and the Henry N. Ess III Professor of Law at Harvard Law School).
More information here. (It is my understanding that they are planning to record the entire event and will probably post a shorter, edited video at this link.)
Libraries will never be obsolete
In my opinion, libraries will never be obsolete. Some information are not found in the internet (mainly wikipedia) and some wikipedia aren’t that accurate. Nothing beats a walk in the State library to find things that you need.
Ellen K. Adam
Dallas Plastic Surgeon
A Brilliant and Lively Debate
Like seeing the hairs rising on your arm as dark clouds gather, this is a thrilling moment in the history of ideas and information. So much determined in how you frame the question and define the terms. Brick and mortar, print on paper (traditional) libraries are giving way to a new sort of hybrid that will survive in these time of rapid change. I look forward to catching glimpses of the future in spirited debate and being part of the conversation as I continue to adapt my school library and information technology program to the educational challenges of today… and tomorrow.
Make it LIT!
http://wlma.org/Resources/Documents/LIT%20Program%20Framework.pdf
Craig Seasholes
Seattle Teacher-Librarian