W4 - Access

I found today's class particularly interesting because access/accessibility has been an issue on my mind. I think we can all acknowledge that there is a divide between those who have access to technology, versus those that don't. I agree that this divide may be decreasing, if we're looking at the basic concept of access; the proportion of individuals in our society that has access to technology and Internet is increasing. However, I think it's important to note that basic access to technology doesn't automatically imply knowledge of how to use this technology. I would argue that this divide in knowledge of technology use doesn't just exist between older folks and younger folks. There was an interesting point raised in class about how information professionals like librarians may become obsolete, as younger generations grow up immersed in technology and won't need the guidance of how to utilize it. While younger generations have increased familiarity, there is still a common lack of knowledge on how to navigate the information world (example: not all undergraduate students know how to navigate through a database). It's also important to be mindful that not all individuals are able to adapt to ever-changing technologies.