Terry Ballard

I began my library career in the 1960s at a large public library. I can remember the basement full of government documents ranging from tiny pamphlets to oversized books. Each week, a new supply of them would arrive, and I would head down to interfile the new entries with the old, using a totally inscrutable filing system. These items were there for everyone to use, but I can’t recall ever retrieving one for a patron.

DUMBO is one of New York City’s nicknames for a special neighborhood. It stands for Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass. Not only is it a scenic and thriving area, but it is also forming a reputation as one of the more tech-savvy places on the East Coast. The technology emphasis began early in the century, taking advantage of low rents and an educated population. City planners worked to boost the synergy by making the neighborhood startup-friendly.

Over the years, I have had the privilege of writing about new technologies and how they can improve life for librarians and teachers. In most cases, when getting people’s stories, I can operate from a comfort zone because I was a librarian for decades and did some teaching at colleges and universities.