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Map Reading
By Erik Jul
With Deep Thought by Eric Childress and Eric Miller
Sometimes the better part of getting where you’re going is knowing where you are.
Several years ago I went canoe tripping in Quetico Provincial Park, Ontario, Canada. Quetico is a marvelous wilderness preserve in western Ontario’s famous “sunset” country that includes some of the waterways and campsites of the Ojibway and voyageurs of bygone days.
I was well outfitted, complete with detailed topographical maps showing the lay of the land, lakes, rivers, and other features of the terrain.
I enjoy maps of all sorts. They were particularly useful when planning my trip. I had poured over possible paddling routes in Quetico for months before putting my canoe in the water.
Using the maps I developed the plan for my trip: a weeklong series of lakes, portages, rivers, and campsites in a circuit route to be approached from one of Quetico’s northern entry points.
Once I put in my map assumed a new function. It became my guide to the terrain and a source of orientation. From my vantage in the stern of the canoe I no longer had the bird’s-eye view of the land that the map provided. Instead, I had shoreline, horizon, and the position of the sun. Matched against the landmarks available to me, the map revealed my location.
While the trip maker focuses on destination and route, the trip taker must focus on orientation. Only when I was sure of my location could I be sure of my next move and avoid mistakes that, in a wilderness environment, could be costly.
Thus the simple lesson of maps: even if you know where you are going, you need to know where you are.
Plotting a path through the twists and turns of rapidly changing technology, shifting user demands, and emerging new information economies would be difficult enough even if we had a map. But we do not.
For want of anything as clear and detailed as a topographical map, how should libraries proceed, particularly with regard to cataloging Internet resources, the topic of this journal?
How about a SWOT to the head? No, not a “swat,” a SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats), a fast and effective exercise in analytical thinking.
To conduct a SWOT analysis of your own, first select the subject of your analysis, for example, using MARC/AACR2 cataloging to describe and provide access to Internet resources, or using a particular metadata scheme to do the same.
Next, in turn, consider the inherent strengths and weaknesses of the approach under consideration. Be careful that you do not assume or overstate strengths nor avoid or minimize weaknesses. This analysis will be as useful as your honest assessment. Be as specific and detailed as possible. Record your lists of strengths and weaknesses.
Next, consider opportunities and threats.
Opportunities represent areas of market demand (or unmet needs) that are not addressed by the approach under consideration, but could be. Be imaginative and make reference to the strengths and weaknesses identified earlier. It may be obvious that, because of particular strengths, the cataloging approach may provide unrealized value or extended application. Less obvious may be its broader application if weakness were turned into strength.
Threats represent environmental forces that are or could negatively affect the status quo or reduce future opportunities. As you list threats, be realistic but allow for the unexpected.
Now look at the results of your SWOT analysis. This is the beginning of your map of the unknown. You will be well oriented by a heightened awareness of strengths and weaknesses of a particular approach to providing improved description and access to Internet resources.
Similarly, you will have a better sense of both the positive and negative aspects of the environment. A sense of the threats can spur an appropriate sense of urgency, and a view of the opportunities can help you plot your future course.
Naturally, you will want to maintain and exploit the strengths that you identified. These represent your power base and immediate source of value. Weaknesses must be addressed, too, to eliminate or mitigate their negative effects. You should review the list of opportunities for those that are doable and may have high impact. Continue to monitor threats whatever course of action you take.
For best results, conduct your SWOT with a group. There is safety in a multitude of counselors and you will engage and benefit from the experience, intellect, and vision of your colleagues. You should be able to complete your initial SWOT analysis in one hour.
Now, you may not have the detailed topographical map like the one that helped me paddle through the Canadian wilderness, but you will be much better prepared to make decisions and manage resources for Internet cataloging.
Libraries now face options for describing and providing access to Internet resources. Choosing among these options is not trivial, and decisions can have far-reaching affects. Whatever your selection of approaches, you will be well served by careful analysis. A SWOT analysis will help you create both a sense of the lay of the Internet cataloging landscape and your orientation to it. With this you can plan your wilderness trip with greater vision, reduced risk, and increased confidence.