Thursday, May 31, 2007

Dewey Decimal: RIP

I was more than a little disturbed to read that the Gilbert Public Library will open next month and become the first library in the nation to no longer use the Dewey Decimal Classification System. They will, instead, group their material by topic and interests similar to the way it is done in many popular book stores (as well as in the Library of Congress). According to the library: "A lot of times, patrons feel like they're going to a library and admitting defeat because they don't understand Dewey Decimal and can't find the book they're looking for."

Personally, I don't see much of a difference between looking up a book and getting the URL of "621.123a" versus the URL of "SCIENCE PHYSICS PARTICLE" ... it's kind of the difference between using "216.109.112.135" versus "yahoo.com".

That aside, I took the time to read up on the different pros and cons of continuing with the antiquated DDCS and have to agree: Dewey is dead. The decimal triage approach limits the top level classification to only ten categories ... more than enough 100 years ago, but hardly the thing for all the newer science and technology divisions that exist today. The LOC approach (subsetted by Border's and Barnes & Nobles) is more open-ended and user-friendly (just like using "yahoo.com" instead of remembering its IP address).

So maybe doing away with the Dewey Decimal Classification System is not such a bad thing ... after all, if the patrons can't find the books they want, what good is a library in the first place?

Wednesday, May 30, 2007

The 7-1/2 Lifelong Learning Habits

I can't recall a time in my life when I wasn't learning something new. I don't know if it's genetic pre-disposition or environment, but I have always had a thirst to know everything about everything. When I was twenty, I figured it would only take about five years. At twenty-five, I realized it was going to take me a little longer than that. The happy realization is that I can spend every day of the rest of my life learning and enjoying the discovery of new things and never run out of subject matter :)

I learn best by reading and prefer the old-fashioned paper format, but I have adapted by necessity to the electronic medium. The internet has brought an explosion of data to my desk and I constantly marvel at the information I can find on-line that, a few years ago, would have required waiting six weeks for the manual to arrive in the mail. Historically, I would spend $500-$1000 dollars a year buying textbooks ... now I can access them on-line for free (thanks to the gracious courtesy of my employer).

As a life-long learner, I have developed habits both good and bad ... but they seem to work well for how I learn best. How do I relate to "The 7-1/2 Lifelong Learning Habits"?

Habit 4: Have confidence in yourself as a competent, effective learner

I have always had a lot of confidence in my ability to learn anything I choose. While some things are necessarily more difficult, all can be overcome with enough desire to do so.

Habit 3: View problems as challenges

I like solving problems. Almost every solution requires learning something new. Problems are an excuse to have a reason (or goal) to learn something.

Habit 1: Begin with a goal in mind

I find it almost impossible to learn anything new without some specific reason (I am effectively event-driven). With a clear goal and a road map I can proceed in a reasonably efficient manner to accomplish whatever is sought. No goal = Nothing to seek.

Habit 2: Accept responsibility for your own learning

You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make them drink. If I don't want to learn anything, you can't make me! I take full responsibility for my own actions and their consequences.

Habit 6: Use technology to your advantage

I believe I do this to varying degrees. I've been a programmer for 35 years and ironically find myself more of a Luddite than anything else. I use technology where it helps me to research, organize, present, and communicate with others but have never had cable TV because I can't find a good use for it. We have become so dependent of technology that our entire lives grind to a halt when the server goes down ... not to mention the panic that ensues if the power goes out. But technology marches on :)

Habit 5: Create your own learning toolbox

I'm not quite sure what's in my toolbox, but it's got a lot of math and science and technology in there that allows me to absorb even more math and science and technology as I learn new things. Libraries, on-line resources, and bookstores are a vast cornucopia of information that is now easily Googleable for our convenience. The more tools in your box, the easier it is to learn a wider variety of things.

Habit 7: Teach and mentor others

I am always willing to share what I know or what I've learned ... however, I'm not a very good teacher. I am a good person to ask specific questions and get specific answers. I work very well one-on-one or in an un-structured ad-hoc environment, but don't fare well in a formal classroom where we have to keep moving along as we leave some individuals behind.

Habit 7-1/2: PLAY!

If you can't have fun doing whatever you're doing, what's the point?