There's been, for me, a palpable sense of being on the cusp of something new, a great big door swinging open, a huge opportunity, underlying the talks folks are giving. That the protocols being hardened in 2003 provide a platform onto which we can start to build a greater library future. Earlier this year I had a fun email exchange with Art trying to figure out what this opportunity really is. Here a few talks have been very insightful in understanding what I'm reaching for. In particular, Clifford Lynch's discussion of the increasing ubiquity of nascent and ad hoc personal libraries, and Lee Iverson's discussion of the role of libraries as groupware service providers, returning to the core role of supporting the community by bringing community activities back into the library. I've struggled for a few days trying to form and articulate a project I'd like to try out, and the folks I've spent time with here are probably tired of listening me struggle to explain this, but hearing these folks talk through these issues really gives a sense that there are many people starting to see this... this thing. Hopefully I'll be able to collect my thoughts during the next few weeks of vacation I've got coming in the beautiful northwest and write something up here when I get back. -dchud
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