Future libraries

[Dan Lester]

Since I wrote my comments on the next five years of academic libraries last 
night, I started to wade through my stack of "routed stuff to toss in the 
outbox, and maybe even read a bit of".  In it I found the May 1999 
_Computers In Libraries_, and specifically the latest from Michael 
Schuyler, a column called "Prognostications on Technology Unbound, or, The 
Library to Come."

His predictions go considerably beyond mine.  He does quote from 
_Neuromancer_ and _The Age of Spiritual Machines_, but doesn't go over the 
edge for me.  A few quotes from the article (pp.30-32) include:

"my view of incremental change in libraries -- more of the same, only 
better, more computerized, and in color -- is probably flat out wrong"

"The library of 2010 is going to be a lot more different from the library 
of 2000 than the library of 2000 is from the library of 1990"

"the library will not be a repository of information, but a conduit to 
information stored elsewhere"

"T-3 lines ... are not even affordable to us today, but they will be, and 
in planning we need to look beyond them to what is coming next."

paraphrase: [we thought that Cat 5 would be the last time we'd need to 
rewire, but plan for fiber to the desktop]

"most information we will furnish our patrons will be from the Internet, 
specifically from the Web."

"I believe the existence of the library, especially the public library, is 
open to scrutiny"

"Our traditional role as an organizer of knowledge may slip away as search 
engines improve."

That ought to get you thinking further than any of us have gone so far.

cheers

dan, going back to his print materials



--
Good, Fast, and Cheap: Which two of the three would you like?
Dan Lester, 3577 East Pecan, Boise, ID 83716 USA 208-383-0165
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