A New Era

Is it random chance or design which ushers in new eras? This past week news in technology pointed to an Internet Generation (i.e. Millennials?) Indeed, you probably saw the article in your local paper. Now at the same time the Listservs have been ultra busy with articles regarding the demise of academic libraries as we know them [via LIS News]and now the news just announced about Google joining with 5 major libraries to provide digital access to their collections. Yesterday, I also found a reference to the trend away from cocooning to connectedness (How about that for alliteration!) [via fastcompany]

As fascinating as this is for the future of libraries as we know them, (I think librarians will be just fine.) I came across a new to us reference book The Dictionary of Contemporary Religion in the Western World from IVP (2002) and is ultimately about how religion connects to our society. Each signed article reads like a short essay regarding issue or a religion with a bibliography at the end for further reading. Two articles of importance to us are Religion and Technology and Religion and the Youth Culture since they indirectly speak to ways we share information. and the ways information is perceived. Sometimes connections still come through print. If you already have this book take a look at it and let me know what you think.