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Loading... Our New Public, A Changing Clientele: Bewildering Issues or New Challenges…by James R. Kennedy
This is an interesting and varied collection of essays that can cause a certain amount of whiplash because essay authors take very different stances. Some are focused on the practical, others are philosophical. Some assume there is such a thing as millennials, others challenge the concept. Of particular interest are essays by Anne-Marie Deitering ("Reflection and Thinking and all of That Stuff: Learning, Engagement, and the Net Generation") and Juris Dilevko ("Deconstructing Librarians' Fascination with Gamer Culture: Making Academic Libraries Venues for Quiet Contemplation") - Both authors question the emphasis on technology and on consumer-driven models of information provision and argue for more reflective, engaged learning through deeper reading and more thoughtful contemplation. Dietering finds libraries a particularly good place for engaged learning, and librarians are in a position to negotiate different perspectives of students and faculty toward research assignments; Dilevko argues against commodified education and edutainment and for "slow librarianship" that provides a place for deeper examination of ideas. |
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