[WEB4LIB] Re: Suggestions needed

[Paul Taylor]

Hmmm... Here's my two cents:

Hardware will likely change a great deal (Moore's 'Law' dictates that it will 
do so every year or two, in terms of greater chip speed, memory density, 
etc.). Currently there is a movement afoot to incorporate digital rights 
management into the very hardware itself, with Microsoft leading the way. 
There are already music CDs which can only be listened to on specific 
platforms, which will no doubt have an effect on libraries. Intellectual 
property law continues to encroach on fair use, and lawsuit-fearing libraries 
may feel the need to resort to in-house security measures to cover their 
a-to-z's. Additionally, such devices as fingerprint scanners and other 
biometric devices are sneaking into the public arena, which will beg the 
question, "What of privacy?"

And it isn't likely to get much cheaper. R&D continues to be a cost that 
companies will continue to recoup through high component pricing, and by the 
time it becomes affordable, newer hardware will arrive, supplanting the old 
and necessarily eliminating corporate hardware and software support for the 
old.

Also, libraries really don't drive or otherwise have a great effect on 
technology. Quite the other way around. Libraries are much different today 
than even five years ago, due to technology, and not all of it is good or 
moderately benign. Many libraries are censoring information, thanks to the 
very technology that opens it up to the masses (who can't afford to buy the 
access privately). Often, proprietary technology drives this, which removes 
the decision making process from libraries as to what to censor to begin 
with.

With the integration of wi-fi into more and more libraries, you can expect 
war-driving squatters surfing the web outside of library buildings to become 
a common sight, which begs another question: "What of security?" (Ergo 
biometrics, again).

Libraries that rely on proprietary systems will continue to see their 
technology budgets driven by unnecessary and expensive OS upgrades, which in 
turn will require more robust cutting-edge (ergo expensive) hardware. 
Convincing library boards that new funding is needed will continue to be a 
pain where you sit. Technical gurus will challenge boards to decide what is 
more important: having new books on the shelves, or paying new and expensive 
per-seat software licensing on a revolving basis? (Personally, I believe this 
will do more to drive the incorporation of open-source soft/hardware in 
libraries, but I digress).

The rapid pace of change will continue to be a challenge to library planning. 
Libraries can continue to plan on a year-to-year basis, but technology will 
not slow down to accommodate this glacial pace of tech-adoption. This rapid 
change will not always be due to technological advances, either. Security 
issues that arise may require libraries to invest money, if not tech support 
time (and therefore MORE money!), to correct. For libraries with stand-alone 
systems, this could potentially be a major budgetary issue in light of the 
risk of losing circ databases to eager and malevolent hackers (contrasted to 
normal hackers, who are just people who eat, live, and sleep computer code, 
which is something that I cannot--sorry for the pun--hack!).

I agree that libraries will feel the need to adopt new-fangled technologies, 
which of necessity will change the face of library services. Online music and 
movies could potentially become a staple in the future (although my crystal 
ball is still a wee bit cloudy on that one.), as might Internet2-based video 
conferencing in meeting rooms, which in turn means listening/viewing 
stations. How many people recall the nightmare of finding a place to put the 
new Internet stations way back in the dark ages? ;-)

(Other new technologies: voice over IP phone systems, flat panel displays, 
technology to accommodate the handicapped, such as voice recognition, etc. 
You name it, there is likely a new, bleeding-edge technology coming down the 
pike to address it.)

On a positive note, I think libraries will ALWAYS have a place in society, as 
the great equalizer of information access. The central issue is who will 
determine the nature of equalization? Corporations, or library boards and 
staff? Perhaps libraries will become more so the enablers of information 
access, rather than places of information storage.

I hope this helps generate some insightful ideas!

-Paul

-- 
Paul Taylor
Computer Coordinator
Salem-South Lyon District Library
9800 Pontiac Trail
South Lyon, MI 48178

248-437-6431 phone
248-437-6593 fax
http://south-lyon.lib.mi.us