Oh, I get it. “IT” – of course, the acronym for Information Technology. The name of the computer departments where I used to work. The place where all the “computer guys,” as I fondly referred to them, were busy working their techie magic.
However, when it comes to this particular blog format, a resource for archivists and librarians, “IT” takes on different connotations. What occurs to me is this concept, the quest for high-tech answers to make all our jobs, nay, our lives, easier and cooler, perhaps that is it. Having been teased about how uncool librarians and archivists are (by those not in the profession, natch), it is nice to be able to talk knowledgeably about computer use and social networking applications. It almost proves we are cool.
Certainly technology has made accessibility of library and archival material easier, and that is good. But all this computerization and the need of “computer guys” to create the next big thing is a little overwhelming. What are they trying to prove? Aren’t the existing tools enough? Many of them do similar tasks like helping people reconnect or share ideas. But how helpful are they? Sometimes I think these technology developers just want to come up with catchy names. Delicious, del.icio.us? Really?
Moreover, what is really daunting about the search for “IT” is that it probably will never be found, at least in its entirety. All of this reminds me of my obsession with the news and reading the paper. Many years ago a few people began discussing some current events, and I didn’t know what they were talking about. So I made it a mission to read the newspaper every day, as well as listen to the news on the radio, so I would always know what is going on. But the news is always going on; it will never end. Trying to know all the news is both productive and futile.
So it seems that the quest for “IT,” too, is both ends of that spectrum. Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, LinkedIn, ad nauseum have been interesting and useful tech tools. However, new technology will continue; some applications may be created that cause current tools to become obsolete. Will any of this ever be enough? Like chasing the wind, perhaps it is unattainable. But the quest certainly makes the work more interesting. And all these incarnations of technology should be documented for future researchers to study. Perhaps this will create a few jobs for archivists who have the foresight to collect and preserve it.
