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# Social media
- URL: https://www.lorcandempsey.net/social-media/
- Published: 2007-05-27T12:58:18.000Z
- Updated: 2020-10-28T09:34:07.000Z
- Author: Lorcan Dempsey
- Tags: Books, Institutions, Research ∕ Learning

I have just watched the video \[[video opens on a web page](https://www.ted.com/talks/view/id/49?ref=lorcandempsey.net)\] of a fascinating talk by [Joshua Prince-Ramus](https://www.ted.com/index.php/speakers/view/id/49?ref=lorcandempsey.net), the principal architect of the Seattle Public Library. He talks about two core *positions*. The first is that books are a technology, something, he suggests that people tend to forget. They have been a dominant technology but will have to share that dominance with “any other form of truly potent technology or media”. The second position is that the library has a social role which needs to be designed for alongside the media role. He then shows in a few decisive steps how they built up a picture of the library consistent with these two positions and the design principles he introduced at the beginning of his talk. I was only in the library once, briefly; I need to go back now 😉  
  
This lecture is one in the [TED series](https://www.ted.com/index.php/talks?ref=lorcandempsey.net), which I came across last year. There are now many more talks available. I looked it again as I was pointed by [John Naughton](https://oscal.wordpress.com/2007/05/20/schools-stifle-creativity-discuss/?ref=lorcandempsey.net) to the amusing and moving presentation \[[video starts up in web page](https://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/view/id/66?ref=lorcandempsey.net)\] by [Sir Ken Robinson](https://www.ted.com/index.php/speakers/view/id/69?ref=lorcandempsey.net) on how schools stifle creativity.  
I was interested to hear Prince-Ramus talk about books as technology given [my remarks](https://blog.oclc.org/lorcand/archives/001324.html?ref=lorcandempsey.net) on this topic the other day.  
Related entries:

- [Books are technology too](https://blog.oclc.org/lorcand/archives/001324.html?ref=lorcandempsey.net)
- [DDC in new Seattle Public Library](https://blog.oclc.org/lorcand/archives/000275.html?ref=lorcandempsey.net)
- [Seattle public library](https://blog.oclc.org/lorcand/archives/000448.html?ref=lorcandempsey.net)