Very interesting lecture. I got to thinking about how great it would be to have every library tied into and using WorldCat, instead of having their own particular catalogues, which sounded like a great idea - at first. That thought led to the realization that one person or entity would then have control over the world's library catalogue. (I know I'm generalizing a bit - after all, it would take more than one person to do this - but still, the concept is the same.) Is this a good idea? Communism does wonders with that model, and look how that affects not only the people in Communist countries, but the entire world.
I've already blogged about my recent experience with China's blockage of accurate information about the Avian flu; that's a great example of how to control people, as a group, by feeding them enough information to make them feel like they know what is going on, without giving them all of the information (or the truth). This takes away their free agency.
Yesterday, my husband came home and told me how badly the slowdown in China's building industry has affected his company. His company sells a lot of building equipment to China, but their sales are down so much that they are talking about having to take drastic measures (enforced layoffs, 25% cut in personnel, etc.). It's an American company, employing mainly Americans, but because China has discontinued its building boom (completely without any basis that he knows about), it's going to affect him and global economics in general. China certainly has not come forth with a reason for their decision, or with any transparency about their economic situation.
So there you go. One country can have a huge ripple effect for the world; one entity in charge of the only library catalogue could also have a huge effect - positive or negative. I love the idea of a unified, searchable, one-and-only library catalogue, but because we are dealing with information and not light bulbs (see earlier post about wishing all light bulbs had the same size base), it's far more serious if that entity decides to withhold or change what is available.
What does everyone else think?
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