Wow. I am sitting back reading my news and blogs while sipping my coke this morning, (I need the caffeine and I hate coffee) when I read the post on Library Stuff, "Throw the Tech Savvy Librarians Out of Our Libraries." That is an eye opener for this non-morning person.

Cohen is referring to Chuck Munson blog against, the so-called "tech savvy" librarians, specifically blogging tech savvy librarians.
Here is a quote from Chuck Munson blog:
"New technologies have certainly added something to libraries, but what the [f bomb] does RSS newsfeeds or XML metadat schemes have to do with serving patrons and getting people to read books? This is all just the same old librarian elitism: we have to make the newest technology to enlighten the masses. It's like these technophiles are worried that they will be seen an uncool if they aren't pushing the latest technology."

He rants on about sacking library web masters, losing all of the library tech "crap", and getting libraries back to the good ol' days of providing books, printed materials, and education to patrons. Apparently, "These tech savvy librarians are also the ones responsible for the disappearance of books and other printed materials from our libraries."

Um yeah, what can I say to that? Huh, well uh he is entitled to his opinion. I personally think Cohen's response is pretty good.

I just want to add to Cohen's response:
1. I find it a little ironic that Munson is using a BLOG which is pretty techie to express his hatred of librarian techies and everything library tech.
2. Last time I checked the books missing from my shelves were from my patrons usage not me throwing everything out to go digital.
3. Mr. Munson if you want to throw the computers out of the library, good luck trying to get a patron to come in to do research. My patrons won't touch my antiquated card catalog, (the only way to find our books since I don't have an OPAC yet). They look at the card catalog like it might give them some sort of venereal disease, can you imagine the horror on their faces if I told them to do their Medline searches in the Index Medicus books?! My library would be a ghost town.

Blogging and library technology has its places in libraries and librarianship, and it should not be thought of as a replacement to libraries or librarians. It should be thought of an enhancement, sort of the ice in your morning cup of coke.