Information as a Utility

"In the years ahead, more and more of the information processing tasks that we rely on, at home and at work, will be handled by big data centers located out on the Internet" (The Big Switch, Carr, p. 21). 

What's amazing about this quote is that it is so true.  And now I believe in Carr's ability to predict the future.  Well, no, not really, but considering this book was originally written in 2008, he was spot-on in predicting trends.  Four years have gone by since Carr wrote this, and almost all the work I do around information does come from big data centers (*cough*Google*cough*) on the Internet.  

As far as the implications for information professionals, I see this as a good thing...if we are prepared for it.  I see libraries and patrons being able to do even more because the cost and the burden of in-house information services is lessened.  Especially in a time with budgets can make or break a library, these cost-efficient "big data centers" are a blessing.  I am specifically thinking in terms of day to day tasks like emailing, billing, scheduling, etc...basically the things I do at Red Balloon that make us work more effciently.  Google's platform is an amazing free resource that I use every day.  Not only are the resources free, but the upgrades are as well.  No one is paid to upgrade our email server or scheduler.  For this reason alone we are able to do so much more because the cost of these services is not an issue.  And because there are so many similarities between an indie bookstore and a library, I think these benefits tranlate to libraries as well.

However, not all information services will benefit from this "one-really-big-size-fits-all" model of data processing.  Some library services could suffer with this big switch, such as reference services.  For example, a local librarian knows more about local history than a big data cloud in cyberspace.  And as we are seeing now, many people think the library is being replaced by the Internet.  What about information literacy?   Storytime? Employment workshops? These are all added services the library provides that a data cloud can not. 

I also see a problem if libraries don't plan for this Big Switch.  If we are training librarians to handle issues that a large data center will take over in a few years, we are wasting our dollars and labor.  Are we training librarians do expect this change?  Do we know how to handle it when more and more of our services are going to the cloud?  I hope so.  I hope we as librarians can take every advantage that cloud computing gives.  I also hope that we can fight for the things that cloud computing cannot give, and be prepared to navigate it's strengths and weaknesses.  

AMY