The Library Show

Saturday, July 29, 2006

Blog Post 4: Computerless = Lifeless?

My computer is dying a slow and untimely death. As a result, I've had to jump onto a roommate’s computer whenever I can find one free, in order to satisfy my obsessive e-mail checking habit and news reading addiction. Yet, though not completely unconnected, due to the limited access still available to me, I am unsatisfied. The loss of my computer has felt like the loss of a limb, a friend, a connection. Am I such a slave to this machine? Who owns who here? Is it the computer itself or what the computer/its capabilities offers me: connection to the world/other worlds, as little or as much as I choose?

I've been struggling with this issue- connectivity- as of late. How much is too much? Can it even be measured? As "connected" librarians/professionals, how do we separate our personal, social connections from our professional ones? (i.e. a personal blog of daily and life reflections and one related to work and professional information?)

Where do you draw the line of separation? Do you draw a line?

Do you leave everything on and open at all times (computer, IM, cell phone, blog, etc.) much like an all night diner, for anyone and everyone to reach you at all times? Do you pick and choose what to use/check and when? Or do you turn it all off every once in a while for a break?

To each their own is the best I can come up with. I didn't find much on a similar or related topic. I'm curious as to how others feel.

I did, however, read an interesting article on Second Life. After which reading, I concluded that at least in such a world, without a computer, one really is lifeless.

2 Comments:

Blogger Franklin Park Public Library Teens & Tweens said...

I totally know the feeling - last fall my laptop died and I didn't get another one till January. I definitely felt the loss, and this was even before I had a clue about blogs/Bloglines/social networking, etc.

7:54 AM  
Blogger Rebecca said...

I know your feeling, and sometimes I feel myself lost in the same thoughts. When I come into my house, I find myself turning on the computer. I eat dinner at the kitchen table with the laptop on next to my cell phone with my dinner plate in the middle. If I'm out and can't pick up the cell, I still leave it on vibrate to know who is calling. When I go somewhere for a day and don't check my e-mail for a day or two, I'm shocked by how much I've missed. Do you think having constant access to e-mail and computer usage has caused our telephone or face-to-face interactions to decrease?

8:12 PM  

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