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iSchool professor R. David Lankes immerses self in technology both in and out of classroom
By Kyle Austin
Posted: 3/6/08, 12:02 AM EST Section: Feature
"Well, let's just put it this way, he didn't like to do any homework," said Lanke's mother, Elizabeth Lankes Stephens. "He did fine in the classroom, he just didn't see any reason to do homework."
From elementary school through high school, Lankes aspired to be a cartoonist. His teachers recognized his academic potential, but criticized him for not applying himself.
"I grew up with everyone telling me I was a procrastinator, and everyone telling me I was never living up to my full potential," Lankes said. "And that always annoyed me because if I never lived up to it - how did they know what it really was?"
He describes himself as a broad thinker with grand aspirations of how technology can change the world. But when technology gets him too far away from reality, technology brings him back.
Another anchor to reality for Lankes has been his family. His wife, Anna Maria Lankes, said her husband brings his enthusiasm about his work home with him. She accompanied him on a trip to Australia earlier this year, where he spoke about the developing world of library technology, the focus of much of his research.
"He sees the big picture," she said. "He sees things long-term, and he figures out where it is that he thinks the area should be going and he figures out the best way how to get there. He really is a very global thinker."
In his early years as a professor, Lankes frequently traveled between Washington D.C. and Syracuse, often flying there and back in a single day. He and Eisenberg spent many hours in the USAir club lounge in the Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. It was there that some of Lankes' technological aspirations began to materialize.
"We were going to change the world," Eisenberg said. "And in some ways we did, particularly in education."
Lankes is now the executive director of IIS, a think-tank for library and information technology. IIS has been integral in some major advances in library technology developed by the group. They developed an "ask a librarian" button, which puts the user in contact with a librarian through e-mail, instant messaging or a live Web chat.
"If you want to see the latest phone or computer, just go see Dave," said Joanne Silverstein, one of Lankes' colleagues. "If it lights up or plays music, he's got it. One of my proudest moments was when he said I picked out a better PDA than he did."
For most, the latest technology provides a unique gizmo for one to enjoy for fun. For Lankes, tinkering with technology helps keep him focused. It brings him back into reality when his mind leads him far from it.
"I've always been schizophrenic between thinking big thoughts and thinking really tiny ones," Lankes said. "How to change the world and then how to adjust the preferences on this program."
kbaustin@syr.edu
From elementary school through high school, Lankes aspired to be a cartoonist. His teachers recognized his academic potential, but criticized him for not applying himself.
"I grew up with everyone telling me I was a procrastinator, and everyone telling me I was never living up to my full potential," Lankes said. "And that always annoyed me because if I never lived up to it - how did they know what it really was?"
He describes himself as a broad thinker with grand aspirations of how technology can change the world. But when technology gets him too far away from reality, technology brings him back.
Another anchor to reality for Lankes has been his family. His wife, Anna Maria Lankes, said her husband brings his enthusiasm about his work home with him. She accompanied him on a trip to Australia earlier this year, where he spoke about the developing world of library technology, the focus of much of his research.
"He sees the big picture," she said. "He sees things long-term, and he figures out where it is that he thinks the area should be going and he figures out the best way how to get there. He really is a very global thinker."
In his early years as a professor, Lankes frequently traveled between Washington D.C. and Syracuse, often flying there and back in a single day. He and Eisenberg spent many hours in the USAir club lounge in the Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. It was there that some of Lankes' technological aspirations began to materialize.
"We were going to change the world," Eisenberg said. "And in some ways we did, particularly in education."
Lankes is now the executive director of IIS, a think-tank for library and information technology. IIS has been integral in some major advances in library technology developed by the group. They developed an "ask a librarian" button, which puts the user in contact with a librarian through e-mail, instant messaging or a live Web chat.
"If you want to see the latest phone or computer, just go see Dave," said Joanne Silverstein, one of Lankes' colleagues. "If it lights up or plays music, he's got it. One of my proudest moments was when he said I picked out a better PDA than he did."
For most, the latest technology provides a unique gizmo for one to enjoy for fun. For Lankes, tinkering with technology helps keep him focused. It brings him back into reality when his mind leads him far from it.
"I've always been schizophrenic between thinking big thoughts and thinking really tiny ones," Lankes said. "How to change the world and then how to adjust the preferences on this program."
kbaustin@syr.edu
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posted 9/02/08 @ 5:59 AM EST
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