By Christine Schwartz
Coordinating Editor, Issue 6

The intelligent use of technology in libraries continues to be one of our most crucial challenges. We watch the world of book and newspaper publishing struggle to find the right mix of print and digital. And we–as keepers of recorded knowledge–know that where publishing goes, we must follow. The intersection of technology, libraries, and the future is where the Code4Lib community “lives.”  However, many of us coming out of a traditional library background (myself included) are now having to learn things and develop skill sets we never thought we’d need. It’s not an easy transition.  So, the Code4Lib Journal is a great continuing education tool for librarians who are trying to expand their skills. The informal, collaborative approach of both the journal and community makes it easy to get your toes wet on issues related to information technology and programming.

For those of us who became librarians because we loved to explore the book stacks, we are now finding new ways to explore both old and new content in digital form. Some of this requires experimentation. In our darker moments–when experiments fail–the library’s future looks bleak. But it is out of these digital experiments that libraries are staking their claim for a future that we hope will be exciting, interesting, and full of potential. Growing our technological skills helps librarians to not just passively resign themselves to digital inevitability. These skills enable us to create the future library that our users want and need. We need to become conversant in a technological mindset in order to meet the challenge with confidence and an open, intellectual curiosity. To quote Joanna DiPasquale, one of the author in this issue: [Code4Lib] “wants libraries to win and is doing something about it.” [1] So, let’s do it. You know, someday little kids will think that being a librarian is a cool job, because it is.

New Code4Lib Journal design

We have Adelie Design to thank for the new look of the Journal for issue 6. This company designed the distinctive, new Code4Lib logo pro bono as a gift to Code4Lib community. Also, we’d like to thank editorial committee member,  Jonathan Brinley for the new CSS that matches the logo.

Notes

[1] DiPasquale, Joanna et al. “CONFERENCE REPORT: Code4Lib 2009.” The Code4Lib Journal iss. 6 (March 2009). http://journal.code4lib.org/articles/998