Book Review “This Book is Overdue! How Librarians and Cybernetics Can Save Us All” by Marilyn Johnson

The digital age is reinventing libraries and librarians. No longer tied to the circulation desk, librarians can now influence the world through the Internet. Marilyn Johnson, author of “This Book is Overdue! How Librarians and Cybernetics Can Save Us All” (Harper, 2010), chronicles the transformation of the profession. Johnson became interested in librarians while researching his first book on obituaries and discovered their impressive legacies. Forbidden Book Week, the Library of Congress’s Automatic Legislation Cataloging (MARC), and other industry traditions originated from dedicated leaders. “I started to get the idea that libraries were where they used to be – open territory for innovators, activists and pioneers,” says Johnson.

University libraries in the United States incorporating distance learning in countries such as Italy; can promote activism for social justice. International students, many of whom are middle-aged and nuns, priests, and human rights defenders by profession; enroll in their two-year master’s program. They are educated partly in Rome. There they learn to use the Internet, allowing them to advance their activist community across language barriers and time zones. They return home to complete their degree online. They write their thesis, graduate, and prepare to “save the world.” Johnson respects the commitment of librarians to protect our right to privacy and free access to information. The US Patriot Act of 2001 challenged Connecticut librarians to turn over computer records from their system. They refused and ultimately won their court battle.

Humorless and sexually neutral library images dissolve among today’s professionals. Young librarians, both men and women, redefine vocation; while throwing retro parties with literary themes; Collect books for Hurricane Katrina victims and maintain Facebook pages. Veterans are reinventing themselves, too. At conferences they make fun of themselves in a playful way, which is rarely publicized. Teams adorn costumes and perform precision exercises with carts of books choreographed to music. Each group risks ridiculing their creative outfit and gadgets to win the grand prize of a book cart.

The iconic New York Public Library (NYPL) represents today’s global institution. They, like many other systems, live to balance the preservation of the past while accelerating the expansion of technology. All of this is being accomplished on a shrinking budget. New talent, including the Director of Digital Strategy and Fellowships, enhance the NYPL customer experience. Today’s professionals keep the vision for Library 2.0 pure and simple. They spread the gold as bloggers and avatars (individualized 3-D web rendering); and trust the reader to shape the message. Archivists of the 21st century include not only professionals, but also amateurs and enthusiasts who bring their expertise. The growth of the digital archive requires simple applications such as those used for blogs.

Simplistic challenges from the libraries of yesteryear, such as removing the smell of old donated readings for book sales (place a dryer sheet between the pages); announce new Herculean tasks of migrating entire computer systems within a consortium of libraries. Libraries represent the best of serendipity, allowing you to enter its confines and discover new experiences with each visit. They still represent one of the few places where information is not a commodity.

In January 2009, Johnson attended the highly anticipated Grand Opening of the Connecticut Library. Its pristine building houses the inner workings, including automatic payment machines, a cafeteria, and a computer center. It was there, between the nooks and crannies of the facility, the rowdy crowd; that Johnson sat on a bench by a large window illuminated by winter light. She pulled out a book from the nearest shelf, began to read, and was spellbound. He reaffirmed his passion for libraries and librarians who are crucial to the livelihood of a community. And it is here, along the pages of “This Book is Overdue!”, That you, the reader, reap the rewards of Johnson’s affection.

Learn more about National Library Week – April 10-16, 2011:

http://www.ala.org/ala/aboutala/offices/pio/mediarelationsa/factsheets/nationallibraryweek.cfm