Appropriate Technology

The meaning of appropriate technology depends on context. For some examples, look at wikipedia, Appropedia, Journey To Forever, the National Center For Appropriate Technology, and the Development Center For Appropriate Technology.

" To be appropriate, technology must be connected to the place, resources, economics, culture and impacts of its use." -- the quote comes from DCAT.

So how does this relate to libraries in general or our library in particular?

Consider presentation formats -- regular print, large print, abridged audiobook, unabridged audiobook, various e-book formats, visual media formats, etc. What does the library collect and make available? (As an aside, we have not tried Kindle yet, although several public libraries are investigating how it could be used.)

And what about technology for public use? There has been an amazing explosion of expectations in the past quarter century.

The Kilgore Memorial Library Foundation purchased this ST200X digital imaging system. It can scan and generate digital images from a variety of film and hard copy formats, manipulate the images, and output them in several digital image formats or send them to a printer.

We anticipate being able to answer e-mail requests for "obit copies" with scanned and digitized replies. We anticipate library users finding all kinds of uses for this equipment. In the spirit of L2NE, experiment with the technology & see if it is appropriate for your needs.

My desk drawer has held a box of color slides from an Instamatic camera for over twenty years. The slides show the old library, and site preparation for Kilgore Memorial Library. Now thanks to the imaging equipment and FLICKR, they exist "at large."