I attended a webinar on the above subject a couple of weeks ago (time flies when you're busy!), and although I took some notes, I had more thoughts than actual notes. For instance, something in the discussion sent me on this wave:
I visualize a big screen on a large wall of a library with up to seating for 50 people all watching that screen and seeing something different (no, its not the drugs!). Not only that, but not being able to see what anyone else is seeing or hear what they are hearing. They are watching movies, TV shows, documentaries, whatever. They have plugged in to a multi-viewer device with a media format (DVD, stick, whatever) that they borrowed from the library. They have a personal listening device that is associated with the device they borrowed and it can accommodate 2 people (a great date!).
OK, the next thought that popped into my mind came after a discussion about the accessibility of the digitally produced book. I wondered what is the publishing industry's take on this and how will this effect our bottom line? If the actual production of a book (paper, printing, binding, shipping, etc) is eliminated for digitally prepared items, and since that just becomes a computer storage issue, could we either:
a. afford more copies for the same cost of a real book vs virtual/digital book
b. provide multiple access to a single digital copy w/out increasing more cost and thus provide a really free library since downloaded items fade away automatically when they are due, cannot be taken so are not lost, cannot be manipulated, therefore not damaged (although they may be copied but without affecting the copy loaned).........providing a better library experience for the user?
What's your take on these thoughts?
Monday, July 6, 2009
Future of the Library User Experience Webinar
3 comments:
1) Interesting thought. Can you point me to a link for something like this (ideas, demos)? You would almost have to wear special glasses (would a screen even be needed?) to do something like this and then each video/presentation would be broadcast on a separate wavelength that would be tuned and encrypted so only the wearers of certain glasses would be able to access that content.
2) As you can see from the prices on Amazon and elsewhere, the publishing industry doesn't want to give up its control (sound familiar?) and all the middle-men and women want to keep on making money. Your scenarios are the way it should be. Unfortunately, that's not gonna be the reality unless quite a few things happen including a drastic re-working of copyright.
I have no link for you, just the funny little things floating around in my head. :) I haven't seen anything like it before, but, who knows. I like the idea of the glasses, but then you could not share the experience with someone else, ergo, not a great date night. Imagine, a library with a nice cafe or restaurant (like in Pat's pictures from Scandinavia). A couple goes to the library, checks out the art gallery, eats at the restaurant, checks out a devise from the library and views it on the wall. Except for the meal, it was all free and in a safe environment.
Publishers should be feeling the last stages of life draining from them about now.....
Actually, each person would have a pair of glasses that would be "tuned" to that "channel." Of course those would get in the way during a date. Maybe contacts? Or perhaps a chip embedded into our skulls?
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