Open mind

It's amazing what you can learn in an airport. Okay, maybe I didn't learn it in an airport ... but I got to thinking about it in an airport. I have noticed for a while that I've am resting on my laurels and not learning much of anything new. I have also noticed that when someone approaches me about a new software, new technology or a new way to use these things that I have been extremely skeptical. I didn't ignore them but I have turned a deaf ear to their enthusiasm. Why? I think I arrogantly thought I knew it all. I have since learned that this is not the case! I have re-discovered that it is very important to keep an open mind about all this technogeekery stuff. Yes, you may not see how it can be immediately applied to libraries and librarianship but in the long run some incredibly creative person will show you what can be done. My husband and I were waiting in an airport for our flight. Having arrived well in advance of our departure time we were walking about looking in the concourse shops. I was content to dive back into the book I was reading (The Professor and the mad man by Simon Winchester) and did not think I needed anything else. My husband wandered over to the magazines and came back with Wired Test magazine. This isn't something that I've ever picked up before and my husband, while a technogeek, is more apt to grab Cycling or F1. He pointed out that in this month's issue there are a large number of product reviews looking at products such as: digital cameras, laptops, phonecams, mp3 players, tablet PC's and much more! He also said that there was a Handheld Computing magazine with a host of reviews on smart phones and the new photo iPod. Open minded, I grabbed both, paid, deposited myself in the nearest seat and was amazed and delighted to find some seriously useful information. The information on smartphones was eye opening and the review on the photo iPod only made me want it more! My husband says that the Wired Test information on Plasma TV's is very interesting and that we should probably wait for newer technology before purchasing in this area. I think I'll be looking at magazine racks a little more closely in the future. It's amazing what you can learn in an airport.