To a Temporary Place in Time

Every place in time is temporary. And yet, the great places in time are never forgotten and always relived. Think Beatles tribute bands. Think Elvis impersonators. Think '50s sock hops. Think family holiday traditions. Think something as recent as the re-emergence of Transformers among children whose parents grew up in the '80s. And yet, people who love oldies music or robots in disguise likely welcome MP3 players and the opportunity to see a movie packed with special effects unavailable in the '80s. I think this is the point of the Five Perspectives of Library 2.0. As stated in the fifth perspective, "a futures perspective asks us to reconnect this dialogue to the grand sweep of time from the treasured past to the adventure of the future—and to put people and meaning at the center of our concerns." It's combining what people love about libraries of the past with the technologies they can't live without today, in a way that produces desktop personalities - whether in person or via the Web - that are timelessly pleasant and inviting. Shall I dare to say, user-friendly?