Time to Book It Libraries!

The Future of Libraries
Summary

The article presents us with a little history of libraries, their purpose in the world, and where they are headed for the future. It explains how the library is not really used to seek and gather information anymore; that the Internet has taken over that role. Instead, the article states that people visit the library expecting a certain type of experience and environment.

Ten trends that are changing the library and how people used it are outlined. These are used to support the idea that libraries are evolving and have been for some time. The article then ends with some recommendations are libraries to follow that will allow them to continue to be successful.

Response

I agree with a lot of the article and most of it is just logical. However, some statements seem off-the-wall to me. For example, the article states “However, next generation search technology will include the ability to search for such attributes as taste, smell, texture, reflectivity, opacity, mass, density, tone, speed, and volume.” The idea that we will be able to search for items based on taste and smell sounds a bit crazy. I could not even begin to imagine how a task such as that could be carried out.

A Dr. William Crossman predicts that literacy will be dead by 2050 and that we will have transitioned into a verbal society. That is a little more understandable to see where he is coming from but I still disagree with the statement. By that time, sure it will be easier to send a voice recording of information; but people will still value having information written or typed out. It provides a more concrete and credible medium.

I love the end of the article, where it presents ideas for creatives spaces. I can just imagine a library with access to tools such as podcasting and blogger stations, art, recording, and video studios, and imagination and theater-drama practice rooms. I rarely visit the library as of now, but if services like those it would quickly become my second or even first home!
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"The Future of Libraries" by Thomas Frey. FuturistSpeaker.com - 11/2006