The concept of hyperlinked communities is an interesting one. The library serves as a central hub, with many ports connected to the community. Much like the information highway, information flows out from this central hub. Connection to new technologies can be a powerful thing. But…are we aware of the power this connection wields?
The reading from this module I connected to the most was “What World Are We Building?” by Dana Boyd. The tagline of this article immediately drew me in:
It’s easy to love or hate technology, to blame it for social ills or to imagine that it will fix what people cannot. But technology is made by people. In a society. And it has a tendency to mirror and magnify the issues that affect everyday life. The good, bad, and ugly.
That’s pretty heavy. Yes, technology is created by people, and the people shall influence how it is used. This led me to a common phrase used in the medical field: Primum Non Nocere, a Latin phrase that means “First, do no harm.” It is the basis for the Hippocratic oath and a pledge to know the power that comes with knowledge and skills and to use that wisely.
We as librarian professionals, have a similar power. There is an inherent gravitas in the position in the community. People come for information, and they trust what they are told. So we must do the same as well. Pledge to do no harm. Introducing the community to new information and technologies is a great thing, but we must always lead with ethics. Not to scare people, but instead to warn. And, hopefully, by creating a community of ethical thinkers, the positive aspects of our communities will be magnified by technology. Despite this goal being a lofty one, it must still be our ambition.