Have you ever seen the inside of a Humpback whale? Allow me to introduce Chomp. She is a blow-up replica of a real whale from the shores of Maine. She visited us in the library today. To see images from the inside and to learn more about Chomp, visit her website at THIS LINK. This life-size science that meets core standards and enthralls patrons of the library is one giant hyperlink!
Another example of the human hyperlink is our Friday Social Walks. Every Friday, community members meet up at the library at 9 am and take a 30-minute stroll around the wonderful trails in our town. A low-cost, high impact program that leverages community connections. These are micro-hyperlinks.
The resources in our Hyperlinked Environments module are examples of macro-hyperlinks. Wonderful, innovative programming like the HIVE in Spokane, Washington; a place with a specific purpose and found in a different part of town from the main library (The Hive – Spokane Public Library, n.d.). The “Noise Closet” in Chattanooga, a place where rock band instruments can be borrowed (jmyers, 2023). And then there’s the Memphis Sound Connection, a super groovy collection of current local music in multiple genres available for streaming right from the site. (Memphis Sound Connection, n.d.). What these examples all have in common is a deep connection to the identity and information needs of their community. Making cool connections and exciting programming is great, but if it’s not what the community needs or wants it may be a waste of time and resources. This is nothing new, of course, but it bears repeating and remembering.
The reading that really stood out to me in this module is “Experts Say the ‘New Normal’ in 2025 Will Be Far More Tech-Driven, Presenting More Big Challenges”. Written in 2021, the article reports on where experts feel society is going in terms of connectivity. Now that it is 2025, it seems the experts were right, for the most part. They predicted that economic inequality would worsen, big technology firms would have enhanced power, and that misinformation would be multiplied. On the positive side, the experts predicted new reforms aimed at racial justice and social equity, enhancements to the quality of life for many families and workers, and enhanced technology that help people lead “smarter, safer, and more productive lives”. I believe a case can be made on all these points. Maybe not in every part of the country and certainly to different degrees. One of the things I remember distinctly about Jr. High school was a “life” class where we learned how to write checks. I have written thousands of checks in my life, paying bills monthly from age 20 to about 50 when things started becoming available to pay online. Now, I just use an app. It’s often simple, though sometimes frustrating, but so much better than sitting down at the kitchen table with a checkbook and handwriting every bill, and the envelopes and stamps. I see a big difference from 2021 to now in the ease of paying bills – it’s getting too easy to spend money! I recall a few years ago pulling up Amazon at a stoplight and making a “purchase now” buy to replace my wallet. A $40 purchase in a matter of minutes, with time to spare before the green light. I once purchased a vinyl album while waiting for the bank teller to send my receipt back out to me after depositing a check in in the drive through. It really is a brave new world.
(note: I don’t recommend shopping while driving.)
References:
jmyers. (2023, January 20). Noise Closet—Library. https://chattlibrary.org/noise-closet/
Memphis Sound Connection. (n.d.). Retrieved June 30, 2025, from https://memphis.musicat.co/
The Hive—Spokane Public Library. (n.d.). Retrieved June 30, 2025, from https://www.spokanelibrary.org/hive/
Hi Becky,
Reading about Chomp put a smile on my face this morning!
It is interesting to read how technology continues to change so quickly. I grew up with the internet already existing in an accessible way (though, to be fair, it did start very slow!). It is incredible to see how we went from dial-up and having to wait 10 minutes for a game to load to now where we can buy something in seconds, really. While it can be scary, especially in relation to AI, I do have to remember that it has also given us the ability to do things more easily.
I completely understand your note about checks! My mom used to write multiple checks a month for bills and now, I have set her up for automatic payments. No more need to take out (and purchase) that checkbook!
@steenburg Glad to learn about Chomp too!
I’m glad you focused on the micro hyperlinks. Those are important things, and I’m just pondering about it. I can imagine knitting groups, the folks that might come in to read the paper in the morning in the library, and as you point out, the walking group, which is super cool. All must establish connections, insights, and exchange information, so interesting to me.