<html><body><div style="font-family: times new roman,new york,times,serif; font-size: 12pt; color: #000000"><div><br></div><div> The other day my public library supervisor came over to my office with a sly smile on her face. I knew something interesting was up</div><div>before she opened her mouth. </div><div><br data-mce-bogus="1"></div><div> She said, "Phil, how would you feel about becoming a roaming librarian in the city -- driving around town to do Linux installs on old computers and</div><div>helping community members become more proficient at technology, searching for info, and self-advancing themselves? I'd like to untether you from the building -- at least for part of each week. How do you feel about that?"</div><div><br data-mce-bogus="1"></div><div> My spontaneous reaction was that I jumped up into her arms and started licking her face. Then I bounded down to the ground and ran around her feet clockwise at high speed. </div><div>Then counterclockwise at high speed. Then I jumped back up into her arms and licked her face.</div><div><br data-mce-bogus="1"></div><div> "I gather you approve?" she said.</div><div><br data-mce-bogus="1"></div><div> I could barely slow my panting to say, "Yes, I do."</div><div><br data-mce-bogus="1"></div><div> The details of this are still being worked out. I'll let y'all know when things become more firm. </div><div><br data-mce-bogus="1"></div><div> The public library is no longer just a place. It's a process. Maybe in twenty years we'll look back and say, "In the old days, librarians never left the building.</div><div>They were chained to a place. What in the world were they thinking back then?"</div><div><br data-mce-bogus="1"></div><div> Well, now -- no longer chained.</div><div><br data-mce-bogus="1"></div><div> phil</div><div><br data-mce-bogus="1"></div><div><br></div><div data-marker="__SIG_POST__">-- <br></div><div><div>--<br>Phil Shapiro, pshapiro@his.com<br>http://www.his.com/~pshapiro/briefbio.html<br>http://www.twitter.com/philshapiro<br>http://www.his.com/~pshapiro/stories.menu.html<br><br>"Wisdom begins with wonder." - Socrates<br>"Learning happens thru gentleness."<br></div><div><span style="color:rgb( 51 , 51 , 51 );font-family:'helvetica neue' , 'helvetica' , 'arial' , sans-serif;font-size:14px;background-color:rgb( 255 , 255 , 255 )">"We must reinvent a future free of blinders so that we can choose from real options." David Suzuki</span><br style="color:rgb( 51 , 51 , 51 );font-family:'helvetica neue' , 'helvetica' , 'arial' , sans-serif;font-size:14px;background-color:rgb( 255 , 255 , 255 )"></div></div></div></body></html>