Comments on: Weathering Turbulent Times http://www.infotodayblog.com/2009/11/30/weathering-turbulent-times/ A Conference Weblog by the Editors of Information Today Tue, 26 Jan 2010 01:44:51 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Andrew Spong http://www.infotodayblog.com/2009/11/30/weathering-turbulent-times/comment-page-1/#comment-9050 Andrew Spong Mon, 30 Nov 2009 09:19:44 +0000 http://www.infotodayblog.com/2009/11/30/weathering-turbulent-times/#comment-9050 A plea to common sense is the recourse of the ideologue favouring a reconfiguration of the status quo for their own benefit. A call to acknowledge commonly shared problems more often than not prefigures deep-seated concerns as to the ongoing relevance of the entity offering the opinion in question. Publishing is a shattered mirror. Any individual piece will continue to show the viewer a familiar self-image, but it is no longer possible to see a bigger picture. Prophets, seers and soothsayers may find an eager audience for their prognostications as to why this will not be the case, but in the meantime, in the here-and-now communities are going about their business discovering collaborators, connecting with them, creating with them, sharing with their networks, and refashioning those elements of the industry that they participate in and care passionately about. Everyone is a publishers now, and for many it's not just a job. The only question that remains for publishers to answer is: are you faking, or are you for real? If the former, the communities you have been serving will have discovered this to be the case long before you do as a consequence of your absence from or lacking or willingness to participate in social media. If the latter: step up. Show, don't tell, those that are still prepared to engage with you're still relevant, and why they should still care about you. Listen. Learn. Engage. Share. Repeat. A plea to common sense is the recourse of the ideologue favouring a reconfiguration of the status quo for their own benefit. A call to acknowledge commonly shared problems more often than not prefigures deep-seated concerns as to the ongoing relevance of the entity offering the opinion in question.

Publishing is a shattered mirror.

Any individual piece will continue to show the viewer a familiar self-image, but it is no longer possible to see a bigger picture. Prophets, seers and soothsayers may find an eager audience for their prognostications as to why this will not be the case, but in the meantime, in the here-and-now communities are going about their business discovering collaborators, connecting with them, creating with them, sharing with their networks, and refashioning those elements of the industry that they participate in and care passionately about.

Everyone is a publishers now, and for many it’s not just a job.

The only question that remains for publishers to answer is: are you faking, or are you for real?

If the former, the communities you have been serving will have discovered this to be the case long before you do as a consequence of your absence from or lacking or willingness to participate in social media.

If the latter: step up. Show, don’t tell, those that are still prepared to engage with you’re still relevant, and why they should still care about you.

Listen.
Learn.
Engage.
Share.
Repeat.

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