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Stumpage Reports
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Thursday, June 12, 2003 :::
Dawn of the Internet
Before the internet was ubiquitous, the library I worked at had a special display called "The Virtual Library." Different PCs were sprinkled around the library with then-cutting-edge technology. This was probably in 1991 or 1992. One of the PCs featured a laser disc with different photographs and documents from the Library of Congress. It was an early incarnation of their American Memory project. Another computer had something called a "CD Rom" in it that had a searchable database of back issues of the New York Times. It was a brave new world.
Another PC offered access to something called "The Information Superhighway." This was before Netscape was invented. Everything was monochrome ascii text, no graphics, animated gifs, or advertisements. Some of the ways you searched the internet was something called Archie, and I believe you could also use Gopher. There were also some places that had rudimentary menus you could navigate with the arrow keys.
This web site can "provide those unfamiliar with the Internet with the tools necessary to navigate this new world."
None of this mattered, because there were only three things on the internet at this point:
1) Ascii text pictures of Bart Simpson, which I cheerfully printed out on the library's dime.
2) The lyrics to "American Pie," complete with annotations. I swear it was the same one found at the preceding link.
3) A 20+ page, single-spaced screed that explained the Beatles' popularity was all faked, and the product of a Jewish-Homosexual Cabal bent on world domination.
We had no inkling how computers were going to take over our workplaces and our lives. I've worked in libraries for almost 20 years now and am looking forward to working in the rare books section, where I can play with 18th century books on entomology and not deal with computers. Right? I won't have to deal with computers, huh? Please?
Quote of the Day: (damn, I'm going insane with all my books packed up)
Not everyday do you get to make small talk with a man you just met while he shaves patches of your torso and legs.
--- Michaelcosm.
::: posted by tom at 11:24 PM
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