Wrapping up

I found this class very engaging, especially our discussions of the changing ways in which we access information.  I'm very fascinated by the implications the internet is having on our society, and this class provided a good avenue for exploring this. As a side note, I enjoyed that there was room to discuss for some of the tangential topics that I found interesting during class.

In regards to the usefulness of the sources we explored, I think they were pretty hit or miss. I found all of them fascinating in their own way, and if I owned them at home I would certainly make use of them. It seems unlikely, however, that I would make a trip up to the library to explore some of the print resources when it's likely that I'll be able to find the information I want online in one way or another. Nevertheless, I appreciate learning about the way information has been kept and organized from a historical perspective.

The past five weeks feel like a blur right now, but I think I'm going to begin the new school year sufficiently inspired and refreshed. On one hand, I think I would prefer the slower pace that a full year program affords so that there would be more time for talking and reflecting with professors and colleagues. But then again, the intensity of the last five weeks promoted a special sort of social bonding between us all. It's felt a bit like a sleep-away summer camp, and it's admittedly been strange to return home in the evening and remember that I have a life away from this thing. I've found the coursework to be interesting for the most part, although I'm really missing some balance in my studies. How great it would be to talk about more than just music and music education each day. Perhaps this is why I appreciated the tangential discussions we had in our class so much.

Libraries, etc.

Watt's library lament echoed my thoughts about the internet age in general. Although modes of communication and sharing have been opened up, we are now finding ourselves no longer in close physical proximity with other people. What we lose in this way is difficult to define clearly, but certainly there is value in the informal, unexpected conversations we share with one another in person. Perhaps its the emotional information face-to-face communication contains, or the feeling of community and connection, or even the feeling that one is engaging in authentic human behavior.

Perhaps library spaces simply need to be restructured to reflect the evolving ways in which we are accessing information. If people are doing research at home and at cafes, maybe libraries need to start resembling these places. I think that people do like being around other people as they're doing their work, but the drab, depressing environment of many libraries might cause them to seek out other places.

The video about the Harry Potter video game music was interesting enough, but I've been trying to come up with something to say about it for the last 20 minutes and can't think of anything. Maybe the more interesting thing to talk about is why I haven't been able to get into Harry Potter despite having read and enjoyed a lot of other fantasy writing. What's wrong with me?!?!