Wireless Networks Connect Libraries to a Mobile Society

"Wireless networking stands poised to help libraries offer services to an increasingly mobile and continuously connected society. In the same way that cell phones have become pervasive, wirelessly connected computing devices soon will be the norm. I think that libraries risk marginalization if they ignore this key trend toward mobile computing and wireless networks. At the same time, librarians can create opportunities to draw in the public by embracing wireless technologies and offering creative, new services. Wireless, like any other technology, isn't an end in itself, but can be used to help an organization work more effectively to accomplish its goals. To the degree that librarians have interests in helping their users connect to information, wireless networking is a technology that can't be ignored." [Computers in Libraries]

I tell [especially public] librarians that it is no longer a question of if they will go wireless, but when. Marshall Breeding includes some suggestions for authentication in this article.

Ignoring 'Generation Techs' at Your Own Peril

"After years of debating the limitations of hierarchically run organizations and the merits of democratization, the end of command-and-control management may finally be here.

Blame the people 25 and younger in our midst....

Why do I call these young computer enthusiasts and organizational activists "digital natives"? Think about the extraordinary cumulative digital experiences of each of these future leaders: an average of close to 10,000 hours playing video games; more than 200,000 e-mails and instant messages sent and received; nearly 10,000 hours of talking, playing games, and using data on cell phones; more than 20,000 hours spent watching television; almost 500,000 commercials seen--all before they finished college. At most, they’ve logged only 5,000 hours of book reading.

This generation is better than any before at absorbing information and making decisions quickly, as well as at multitasking and parallel processing. In contrast, people age 30 or older are "digital immigrants" because they can never be as fluent in technology as a native who was born into it. You can see it in the digital immigrants’ "accent"--whether it is printing out e-mails or typing with fingers rather than thumbs. Have you ever noticed that digital natives, unlike digital immigrants, don't talk about "information overload"? Rather, they crave more information.

The youngest workers don't need to adapt to fit into the agile, flat, team-based organizations older executives are striving to design. They just do it: They communicate, share, buy, sell, exchange, create, meet, collect, coordinate, play games, learn, evolve, search, analyze, report, program, socialize, explore, and even transgress using new digital methods and a new vocabulary most older managers don't even understand....

This is not to suggest that a premium shouldn't be placed on the knowledge of organizations and the management experience of top executives. Nor is it to say that digital natives--business neophytes, almost by definition--would be better at running a company than seasoned leaders. It's simply to argue that technology is altering the face of organizations in more ways than just by improving productivity, and smart managers would do well to pay attention to what this technologically savvy generation has to offer.

By overlooking or underestimating digital natives, older executives are sending a message to some of the most talented people in the work force that they are not appreciated or supported." [CNET News.com]

Samsung to Bring Out 5-megapixel Phone

"Samsung Electronics is reportedly to launch 5-megapixel camera phones realizing the same resolution as high-tech digital cameras, reports Telecoms Korea.

'A company official said Friday, 'It is premature to reveal a specific time table, but the plan is to bring out 5-megapixel camera phones by the end of this year. Nobody is sure about whether it will be the world first or not.' ' " [picturephoning.com, via Engadget]

I sure wish someone besides me could see what I'm posting. For future reference, I've started The Shifted Wiki in order to do a proper Honor Roll of Shifted Libraries and to jumpstart the idea of starter OPML files for librarians (basically starter files for librarian news aggregators). My hope is to create OPML files from the lists of suggested sites for Academic Librarians, Public Librarians, School Librarians, and Special Librarians to get them started with news aggregators.

So consider this a plea for your help with both projects. Have lots of wiki fun adding ideas!