The only condition a library asks its users to honor is to do justice to their own imagination, their own curiosity and their own thirst for knowledge, and in the process, to achieve their own independence of mind and spirit.
Vartan GregorianRead
That is the future, and it is probably nearer than we think. But our primary problem as universities is not engineering that future. We must rise above the obsession with quantity of information and speed of transmission, and recognize that the key issue for us is our ability to organize this information once it has been amassed - to assimilate it, find meaning in it, and assure its survival for use by generations to come.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote emphasizes the importance of organizing and understanding information rather than just accumulating it rapidly.
Vartan Gregorian highlights the challenges faced by universities in the modern age, where the overwhelming amount of information can lead to confusion and inefficiency. Instead of merely focusing on the speed of information transmission and the sheer volume of data, educational institutions should prioritize the ability to meaningfully assimilate and curate this information, ensuring that it remains relevant and sustainable for future generations.
Themes
InformationEducationOrganizationFutureKnowledge
In practice
Example use cases
In a discussion on the role of universities in the digital age, this quote is perfect to illustrate the need for critical thinking.
More from Vartan Gregorian
All quotes →The library is not only a diary of the human race, but marks an act of faith in the continuity of humanity.
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