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What will the libraries of the future look like?


Michelle My Bell
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I have this memory of a movie (or maybe a book) in which the library of the future was a holographic head which either verbally relayed information or presented the material to you holographically to read while you were standing there. I think in the read future, the holographic library head would just send an instant download to your reading device. Actually, we probably wouldn't even need the holographic head for that, just smart search technology.

 

I am certainly scared that books will go away, but I am more scared that reading literature for pleasure will go away. It is so easy at this point to look up a summary that most kids don't actually read the books assigned :( Plus, I will not ever consider books like the Hunger Games as literature. Popular, pointless books are a fun way to learn literary terms, or introduce analysis, but only as a precursor for more serious (meaningful? classical?) literature to be assigned directly afterwards. Which doesn't seem to be happening...

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I find it incredibly sad as well. I despise reading from computer screens and subsequently have no interest in eBooks and Kindles. I realize I'm in the minority though, so I know this kind of thing in an inevitability. :(

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I am with Wendy K.......I resisted a kindle for a long time. Then my dd got one and I decided to break down and buy myself one. I LOVE it. I have over 200 books on it. I don't have to worry about late fines at the library, having to drive there, etc. I visit the Amazon top 100 free list each day and have found many books that I would have never found at the library---different types, authors, etc.

 

I will say though for reference stuff---The Bible, cookbooks, other reference books, etc. I like good old fashioned books better.

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I am with Wendy K.......I resisted a kindle for a long time. Then my dd got one and I decided to break down and buy myself one. I LOVE it. I have over 200 books on it. I don't have to worry about late fines at the library, having to drive there, etc. I visit the Amazon top 100 free list each day and have found many books that I would have never found at the library---different types, authors, etc.

 

I will say though for reference stuff---The Bible, cookbooks, other reference books, etc. I like good old fashioned books better.

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How far into the future?

 

In terms of information, the future of the library is online. I think it will be a virtual replica of the physical place we have now. We will 'see' the information and 'page' through it. Text/multimedia will be downloaded. Librarians will be available to monitor and help patrons. Quite possibly there will be a download fee or a subscription, or perhaps the state will cover that.

 

Vernor Vinge had an interesting view of the future of the university library in Rainbows End. The physical books were being torn apart in order to facilitate a speedy transition to digital and the library commons became a place of open augmented reality (so people could program any kind of overlay to reality...castles, manga characters, etc.) so students could study in a comfortable environment.

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