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Jennifer Eustis

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What is the future of libraries?

Libraries withdraw (either throw out, resale, or recycle) print materials all the time. Many libraries say that these print materials are being replaced by resources on the web or non print resources. But with the rising costs of subscriptions, licensing, legal issues involved with copyright, privacy and what not, how can libraries provide access to all of these types of materials? Are libraries throwing out some of our heritage when withdrawing print materials? Where are libraries heading and how can they navigate the waters of freedom of expression in a digital age, security, public access, or free services.

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    Anca Tiurean 10+

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    Oct 9 2011: Libraries I think will be a little like churches: cold, quiet places where one goes to meditate :)
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    Hien Pham 20+

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    Oct 8 2011: I would think of the future of libraries should be based on the key words that users find then the libraries' engines will send the ebooks that closely met the requirements of the users. Based on the ranking of the key words that used by users, they can suggest which one is needed. In other words, libraries will work like news RSS mechanism.
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    Jaime Lubin 10+

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    Oct 8 2011: If somebody dont want his books because dont see any future in them, please send it to me, to enhance my own library
    I'll really be delighted with your donations.
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      Felix Lanzalaco

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      Oct 8 2011: Not yet. I still use my library for soundproofing !
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    Felix Lanzalaco

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    Oct 7 2011: The question really is what is happening to the brain in the library that is missing in the electronic version. Obviously the electronic version is superior on so many levels it does not need pointed out.

    https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-5tJ-lnOhNYI/ToyLcLsJweI/AAAAAAAAAjU/Aet9ATO767Y/s800/intution.jpg

    1. Its an emotional / historical attachment. Pure conditioning and a generation without books will not even think it is an issue.

    2. There is something happening from the physical motor and 3d interaction with the book in the brain that is more engrossing

    We know from neuroscience that motor activity / visuospatial skills and learning are linked through the thalamus to striatum and then back to the temporal encoding sites of the hippocampus. So getting up to go find then pick up a book and flick through it activating a lot of in between priming sequences that might aid in consolidation.

    I try to offset this personally by having about 4 workstations around my flat with about a dozen screens, many touch and in a 3d desktop environment. Also trying to convert this to stereoscopic use for massive spatial immersion.

    Each workstation is dedicated to different areas. I have a USB drive and am forced to get up and go round swap drives, move data around. Sure i could have it all linked through a hub, but then i will just end up sitting down too much.

    Maybe these new 3d mobile devices will be the solution. i,e. The LG autostereoscopic mobile phone just on the market is the start, then there will be the iPAD version. So you will be on the move and the information interaction will be both physical and stereoscopic (holographic) in space.





    and how to simulate it
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    Amanda Credaro

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    Oct 6 2011: Hi Jennifer ... I haven't read through the 94 comments currently available, but I hope that someone has pointed out to you that not all libraries are funded to the same extent, nor do they all serve the same purpose.

    A "circulating library" such as a public or school library has neither the space nor resources to maintain effective archives. Did you know that it has been estimated that it costs approximately $40 a year to keep each book on a library shelf, whether it is being used or not?

    But you should not fear any loss of heritage - the Library of Congress has at least one copy of every book ever published in the USA. And always will, barring an major catastrophe.

    If you are speaking of academic libraries, I feel confident that the only journals etc that are been culled are ones with the same content available through databases such as Lexis Nexis - where they can be much more rapidly searched than is the case with print resources.

    Where are libraries heading? The same place they always were, since the times of the Alexandrian Library, but within the budget constraints that are beyond their control. There is no institution on this planet that is more committed to public access than Libraries.
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    Allan Macdougall 30+

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    Oct 5 2011: Digital books are a passing fad and it is foolhardy for libraries to get rid of printed material in the wake of such temporary trends.

  • Ken Oxenreider

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    Oct 5 2011: I think the term "library" confines the parameters of how we think of this institution. What if we called it "The Learning Center" or "The Information Station". All of your ideas then are applicable. There would be no debate about printed or digital as it wouldn't matter how we get our "Learning" or "Information". Lots of classes are held at these institutions now so why not expand that process to actual college credit certified courses. The local business community could get involved to effect the process so we might be able to deliver training classes in whatever the local economy job structure demands. This institution could then evolve to become THE local hotspot for all of a community's functions. Now if only Starbucks would make a big push to get into them also.....?
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    Alex Mero

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    Oct 5 2011: It is clear that ebooks and the latest technology have completely overturned the book market. Some writers already offer their own books through the Web, usually for a charge. But the Internet is more than a showcase. The Web is also a place of exchange, a channel through which the dialogue between the author and his readers can take place without intermediaries. So we will see more and more new reader groups and communities with the same interest. The members of these networks will develop interactions, not only with the writer, but also with the other members of these virtual communities. This development probably means the disappearance of the traditional literature market, although there will always be a place for the promotion and publication market. Authors and publishers will therefore have to adapt their relations to this development. It is obvious that publishers will also use virtual tools as a communication means and adapt to the new technologies in a creative and commercial manner.

  • Walt Headstrong

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    Oct 4 2011: What about this idea,if you are interested about something in the Chinese medicine,we put a professor in the library.Let him give you some direction.It's far more better than the pdf.

  • Nawaf Alnaji

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    Oct 1 2011: What I expect is that eventually libraries will only be places to keep the old original texts. As a result, there will be very few libraries in the world. Why keep libraries when all the books are online? For some, it's because they don't like the feel of reading on a computer, tablet, or even an e-reader. This will, however, change eventually when other technologies are used like e-paper. Technologies that give you the feel and comfort of reading from a book without having the actual book.

    Moreover, the generations that will come after us will probably be using books less than we do. South Korea and Turkey have already started planning to replace tablets with books, and eventually most of the world will make the transfer from real books to e-books. Future generations will not be looking for the comfort or feel of a normal book if they are more familiar with an e-book.

    Another interesting thing we might see in the future are open-source books. What if there comes a time when many authors offer their books for free? Imagine the possibilities...
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    Michael Hennigan 100+

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    Oct 1 2011: They will / must evolve. That being said, predicting the form of that evolution will be influenced but not solely determined by the technology of the day. Humans will still need a place to aggrigate, or in dense housing situations - to escape their confines. It will also continue to be used by cultural subgroups divergently.

  • Shokrullah Amiri 10+

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    Sep 27 2011: We readers first came to web then the books followed us. Referring to the case of fees, this concept is new and it will take some time for realization of its full potential.

    Book/library does not mean by what format its content is presented or stored. The key here is the maximum and closer to its readers.
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    Bernd Fesel 30+

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    Sep 27 2011: Indeed - me too. I like reading the printed book on vacations and in my free time; the digital book is for me more a work and business tool - searching for key words in PDFs asf.

    Maybe we will see that digital and real habits will add - not substitute?!
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    Farid Ahmed

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    Sep 26 2011: I believe the future of libraries will be books in 3D electronic format. All information will be available through a centralized query system which will give feedback and archives in the form of hard books, eBooks, audio, video and anything else that google pulls out. However all the above mentioned in 3D format inside a booth system which would give privacy to all. Having said that I doubt real books would ever be made redundant given the vast amount of information and interpretations which have still not been digitalized...however things such as nano technology and 3D animations amaze me and give so much more clarity when visualized - watch the animation called "Treasure Planet" and you will know what I mean by 3D books...
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    Rafi Amin 20+

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    Sep 26 2011: In Japan, So many people took their books out of their homes to book scan shops & came back with a small hard drive. This helped in creating an extra space & storing valuable information for future easy referrences.
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    Michael Clancy

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    Sep 26 2011: The primary purpose will be public access to the internet unless we socialize that access. There will still be buildings to store these books but it will be more like a warehouse than a library.

    Most forms of physical media will phase out which is why I collect books now.

  • Rodrigo Datahan

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    Sep 26 2011: Hi, Thanks for the comment tishe,

    I guess the term hungry in my comment does not necessarily refers to the basic needs. you see, other than these basic needs for every human in the third world countries to survive, we also have thinkers and innovators who lacks the access to the right information which could help them create better tools and develop ideas to help our people. I guess there is a need for every nation to somehow converge on to something with thrid world countries. It may not be with the kind of development advanced countries has but maybe on the knowledge. =)

  • Tina Stangle

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    Sep 26 2011: I was surprised to hear a coworker talking about how he "checks out" digital copies of books from the library and reads them on his nook. Just like the real book, if there are no copies checked in, he has to wait. Glad to see that libraries are keeping up with technology and I hope this helps bring in revenue for them from all of the techies.
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    Deborah Zotian

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    Sep 25 2011: An insert in today's newspaper (Parade Magazine) had an article about The Little Library That Could. It is about a small town library in Parker, Arizona. The library is the local form of amusement as they have no movie theatre or bookstore in the town. The library has had its funding cut, so it could not buy books, had to cut hours and cut staff in half (from four to two). Instead of closing it down, the town is rallying around the library. It is where they go to use computers to go on the internet; they get books to read and meet with friends. It is a place to go after school for the students instead of hanging around, possibly getting into trouble.

    This is what I remember about going to the library (although not the internet - wasn't around when I was in school). It was a place to socialize (in the appropriate locations) and to study. It was a place for meetings and to meet people.

    The brick and mortar building must remain as a community place. Its mission may change from receptical of books to something else, but it must remain as a part of a small town, or a big city.

    Are there libraries out there that 'lend' out e-readers? I know some do lend e-books.

  • Robert Galway 20+

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    Sep 25 2011: Libraries in the digital age need to continue to foster the ability of the individual to get to the information they need to balance the curiosity vs passion equations that push our society forward. In my life, a library was a place where you went to get help finding answers. The digital age has enabled some people to find some answers, but the saying ‘you don’t know what you don’t know’ still applies. Librarians and research assistants may not know the answer to your questions, but they do know how to help you find the answers and are typically experts in all resources, including the internet. Library Science professionals train to do what they do, and as far as I can tell, the ones I interact with are very good at their job. Libraries have always been a quiet place to focus on the written word and communications media. Visitors are left to decide what to read, formulate their own thoughts and pursue their curiosity as far as their passion takes them. The building and the rules of the library are a symbol that this place honors this endeavor, in the same way a church honors religious activities and prayer. The one exception is when some visitors need help to understand how to enjoy reading, such as those just learning to read. Storybook reading sessions introduce many children to characters and stories that are often seeds for future creativity, sometimes life lessons, and exposure to areas of long-term interest. People can learn to use the resources available, including the internet, at the library.
    Managing the power, greed, and control associated with creating knowledge and art in electronic form and balancing the rights of the public against the rights of the artists and creators/owners of the information is a very challenging multi-faceted problem that will test the fields of library science, law, and electronic communications. Librarians are the players in that game I trust the most to do what is right for the people. They have my support.
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    Hassan Syed

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    Sep 25 2011: Possibilites in the next 20-30 years:
    1. Large storage locations at remote places, rack space at some data center, selling valuable building sites in the city centers and investing the money back into digitizing the valuable heritage.
    2. Rduced in size, converted into museums plus what I said in 1.
    3. Go extinct because people would use more electronic versions

    There are great opportunities to collaborate in this area.
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    Bernd Fesel 30+

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    Sep 24 2011: The British Library has gone digital - showing how new technology can increase access to its collections. An example - maybe even an international role modell to combine the best of online and offline?!

    http://www.2010lab.tv/en/blog/british-library-goes-digital
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      Deborah Zotian

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      Sep 25 2011: Can anyone 'borrow' from the digital library? Or do you have to be a member of the library?

      What a great way to be able to see the collections of the libraries around the world! While I will always prefer a book in my hand, if I can be given the opportunity to view some of the books in the British Library, or a library in Sydney or anywhere on earth, I'll gladly become a member of the worldwide library association!
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    Deborah Zotian

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    Sep 24 2011: While I much prefer a book to an electronic version, it is the way of the world now. There's even an app to 'borrow' an electronic book from many libraries.

    I think what may be the demise of some library systems is NOT joining the electronic age. My local library is not one of those who is involved with electronic books. It has been a chore to get them to get a book I want to read from another library - so much so I haven't been in over a year. I have to go back and see if things have improved, but based on the budgets, etc. for my city, I'm going to guess it will be much the same as before.

    I don't want to see a total conversion to electronic media. As I've mentioned in a reply to another poster, there is nothing like curling up on the sofa on a miserable day and getting lost in a book. Good or bad, there's usually something there to make you think or help you get lost in another world when you need to escape this one for a bit. Snuggling up with an e-reader, just isn't the same.
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      Luigi Vampa

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      Sep 24 2011: Deborah the eagle in your arm tells a lot about you. Also your alma mater: Sacred Hearth.
      I've studied in Sacro Cuore Colegio da Milano . I And I love the eagles and falcons.
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        Deborah Zotian

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        Sep 25 2011: Luigi - the falcon (his name is Haggis) is because I wanted to learn something about falconry. I took a course in how to fly a falcon because I love medieval mysteries and I wanted to try something different for my birthday that year.

        As for going to Sacred Heart - it was a local community college when I went. It was the only school I could afford at the time; not my first choice. I was able to go there because I worked for the school itself for 3 of the 3.5 years I attended. (I graduated early) I'm not Catholic - but I went to a Catholic university and did my graduate work at a university associated with the Jesuits (Fairfield University).

        Unfortunately, the library at SHU was not the best for a university. I understand it has improved quite a bit since I graduated in the mid-70s.
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          Luigi Vampa

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          Sep 26 2011: Aaaaahhhhh¡¡¡¡¡ the medieval misteries. We have a lot to share. In your interest, the medieval age is like going one step back, this is very good because you going out from all the masses that going forward, directly to...----------------------------(fill the line.)
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          Jaime Lubin 10+

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          Oct 7 2011: Deborah, we inform you with our deep sadness that our beloved frien Luigi died in a terrible accident in Rome yesterday. Please pray for him.
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          Linda Hesthag Ellwein 50+

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          HostTED AttendeeTED TranslatorAssociate
          Oct 7 2011: I'm so sorry a member of the TED community has left us, Jaime. I didn't know him through interacting with him, but enjoyed reading his comments recently. Thank you for sharing this. It brings home how fragile each life is, and how sacred each contact, every conversation is with one another. I will pray for him, and all of those whose lives his touched.
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          Karina Eisner 10+

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          Oct 9 2011: Jaime Lubin

          In Luigi we had one of the most brilliant and profound TEDsters,

          I am saddened with the news...
          His last words in TED were, "Si puo vivere il presente." (We can live the present)
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    Thomas Brucia

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    Sep 24 2011: My favorite library is Project Gutenberg. And then there are the 2,500 or so books in my home. And when I discover something that sounds interesting from a Scientific American Book Club or History Book Club mailer, I go to amazon.com to see if I should download it to my Kindle or buy a hard copy or just pass.

    Libraries are all around us. It's just that they're now distributed, survive in the cloud, and often exist in cyberspace. The biggest problem is not availability of books -- it's making the contents stick inside my brain, which is obsolete since it's mostly based on a 250,000 year old design, brought somewhat up to date with a rickety, home-brew structure called 'culture'.

  • Varlan Allan 10+

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    Sep 24 2011: As a side-note, Libraries used to be a place of education, so Im not sure why more courses of study are not done there on Information gathering, analysis and application of the knowledge found. I believe that it is things like this that could help revive libraries.
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      Luigi Vampa

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      Sep 24 2011: The libraries are weel alive Varian, the readers are the ones who need revitalization. Urgent!

  • Varlan Allan 10+

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    Sep 24 2011: I think one of the issues with libraries is the size and locations. I believe libraries need to be smaller and in more chic locations. Im not into giant honkin libraries. Why do people go to starbucks!? Because the atmosphere. Libraries need to diversify and transform with their media.
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      Debra Smith 200+

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      Sep 24 2011: Those are great ideas, Vartan. Some libraries are already implementing them. My own favourite library has comfortable chairs for reading and others for enjoying cds with head phones. It has such a wide variety of things to learn from "play away books", to cds, to books on cd or tape, to movies, and even books for e-readers.

      • Varlan Allan 10+

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        Sep 24 2011: Check out my topic on bidding away excess. **

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          Luigi Vampa

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          Sep 26 2011: Jason you are right. I express sincerely my humble apologies to all.
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    Udit Kumar Sahoo

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    Sep 24 2011: I guess the physical existance of libraries would be eliminated and the whole thing will be networked to our world.
    The current books may be put into some sort of library museum and might be regarded as antics. When it comes to subscriptions and lendings... the software technology might have improved equally enough to check copyright and other norms. Or it might be possible to have infrastructure enough to facilitate direct reading over net page by page.

  • tishe Hires 10+

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    Sep 24 2011: Hi Jennifer,
    Do not know how old you are or how young. The Library is a thing of the past. We all know that.
    My best times, in my youth, was the library. I would get lost in the aisles of books!! ( i loved it!!) It will be gone soon. OH, unless, there is a contribution, yea? The future of our scholastic institutes, is gone. Cheer up! You can look it up on the internet! (do not trust wikipedia) did I spell that right? With Respect to You! :)
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