> ## Content Index
> Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.lorcandempsey.net/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further.

# Bright is the old gray
- URL: https://www.lorcandempsey.net/bright-is-the-old-gray/
- Published: 2007-07-23T12:40:09.000Z
- Updated: 2023-06-28T04:28:26.000Z
- Author: Lorcan Dempsey
- Tags: Books, Research ∕ Learning

Reading Walt’s latest *Cites and Insights* this jumped out at me:

> I believe that gray literature—blogs, this ejournal, a few similar publications and some lists—represents the most compelling and worthwhile literature in the library field today. \[[Cites & Insights 7:9 – On the Literature](https://citesandinsights.info/v7i9a.htm?ref=lorcandempsey.net)\]

Gray? Gray! Blogs, reports published on the web, web journals: these are brightly colored and shining. They are connected to the life of the web – link and search – and are visible, referencable and available.  
In contrast most of the formal library literature is a very dreary affair. Dull publications, hidden for the most part from the web. Determined not to have any influence outside their niche. Gray, Gray, Gray ….  
I think we need to revise our terms 😉  
The web has shone a light on the formerly gray; the formally published seems to want to stay in the shadows and become the new gray.  
Related entries:

- [Reeling and writhing](https://blog.oclc.org/lorcand/archives/000640.html?ref=lorcandempsey.net)
- [Reading libraries](https://blog.oclc.org/lorcand/archives/000605.html?ref=lorcandempsey.net)