From: Don Beagle <[log in to unmask]>
Date: Thu, 14 Sep 2017 10:48:04 +0000

Given the broad scope of ALA's upcoming Symposium on the Future of Libraries, this might be an opportune time & place to note that 2018 will mark the 40th anniversary of the occasion when sci-fi author and futurist Isaac Asimov accepted an invitation to address the Governor's Conference on Libraries in NC's Research Triangle. His topic, "Of Past & Future Libraries," effectively foreshadowed the remarkable changes over the next four decades. That was the 1st conference I attended in my 1st year out of grad school, so I carefully preserved my audiocassette of his talk over intervening years. Now converted to a digital audio file, we've just posted it online as the first entry in our new Digital Humanities Project LibGuides page at Belmont Abbey College.

While Asimov in 1978 accurately anticipated the potential of innovations like modulated lasers over optical fiber and the essential role of a worldwide computer network to cope with knowledge growth & information overload, it is also interesting to note how his vision as a futurist was shaped by models dominant in his day. His view of a worldwide library-based computer network was clearly shaped by the centralized mainframe / terminal paradigm, and for the most part, did not anticipate the sort of participatory peer networking we all take for granted. But even those "misses" can be instructive to us now in trying to anticipate where we might go from here.

For any interested listeners:
http://belmontabbeycollege.libguides.com/dighumanities/asimov

--Don

Donald Beagle

Director of Library Services

Belmont Abbey College

100 Belmont – Mt. Holly Rd.

Belmont, NC 28012-1802

Voice: 704.461.6740

Fax: 704.461.6743

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From: LibLicense-L Discussion Forum [[log in to unmask]] on behalf of LIBLICENSE [[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Wednesday, September 13, 2017 9:37 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: The future of libraries

From: Ramune Kubilius <[log in to unmask]>
Date: Wed, 13 Sep 2017 17:49:54 +0000

Hi,

 

There is plenty to say on this topic…For example, proposals are now being accepted for the ALA Midwinter (Feb. 2018 in Denver, CO) 3 day Symposium on the Future of Libraries, sponsored by the Center for the Future of Libraries. It will “exploring the near-term trends already inspiring innovation in academic, public, school, and special libraries and the longer-term trends that will help us adapt to the needs of our communities…”

See: http://2018.alamidwinter.org/symposium-proposal

 

One can argue, though, that it isn’t just about the “needs of our communities”, though that is an important ultimate goal, but also the needs (expectations) of our funders, administrations, etc.

 

Ramune Kubilius
Galter Health Sciences Library

Northwestern University

 


From: LibLicense-L Discussion Forum [mailto:[log in to unmask]CRL.EDU] On Behalf Of LIBLICENSE
Sent: Tuesday, September 12, 2017 7:25 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: The future of libraries

 

From: "Holland, Claudia" <[log in to unmask]>

Date: Tue, 12 Sep 2017 14:12:31 +0000

“Will a university administration look coldly at some of those activities and ask the library to do the job with fewer resources?”

 

We’re already there, Joe.

 

Libraries (& librarians) have reinvented themselves repeatedly but particularly since the advent of the internet. In short, if you don’t like change you’d better not pursue librarianship. We’re a much more resilient bunch than we used to be, by choice or by force.

 

Claudia Holland