Here we are; it's already October 31! Halloween 2009! How about some scary thoughts to ponder.
In early September Cushing Academy a private preparatory school located in Ashburnham, Massachusetts distinquished itself with a controversial article which appeared in the Boston Globe. The article was not about its $43,000 per year tuition and board for students in grade 9 through 12. No the article was on Cushing's Library and headmaster, James Tracy's vision of an all Digital Library. The title of the article, "A library without books".
Tracy's view of the 21st Century Library is all digital. His library has a small collection of 20,000 books (hardbound). Those books, collected over time, representing many disciplines, have been discarded. Here's Tracy's rationale, “When I look at books, I see an outdated technology, like scrolls before books. This isn’t ‘Fahrenheit 451’ [the 1953 Ray Bradbury novel in which books are banned]. We’re not discouraging students from reading. We see this as a natural way to shape emerging trends and optimize technology.’’Instead of a library, the academy is spending nearly $500,000 to create a “learning center,’’ The Globe report continues, "In place of the stacks, they are spending $42,000 on three large flat-screen TVs that will project data from the Internet and $20,000 on special laptop-friendly study carrels. Where the reference desk was, they are building a $50,000 coffee shop that will include a $12,000 cappuccino machine. They have spent $10,000 to buy 18 electronic readers made byAmazon.com and Sony . Administrators plan to distribute the readers, which they’re stocking with digital material, to students looking to spend more time with literature. Those who don’t have access to the electronic readers will be expected to do their research and peruse many assigned texts on their computers. Tracy summarizes, “Instead of a traditional library with 20,000 books, we’re building a virtual library where students will have access to millions of books.’’
Whatever you may think, Tracy's vision represents one end of a continuum on the Future of Libraries. Tracy sees an all digital future with access to millions of books (and thoughts) in digital form. Beyond whatever reaction you may have there is the question of stability of digital formats. Will a digital format be able to be read 20 years from now; 100 years from now; 500 years from now? A book with all its flaws is archival. Something printed 500 years ago and preserved in bound paper can still be read. Digital formats decay and progress. Backward compatibility is critical.
The Internet, which is 40 years old this month has taken us on a continuing journey along the digital online, virtual path, to the extent that virtual communities such as Facebook, Twitter, Blogs, MySpace, Google, are all parts of our daily discourse. Do libraries need buildings? Can Public libraries be disconnected from their physical boundaries(and tax bases). Google wants Google Books to provide millions of books currently housed in libraries to all wherever they live. James Tracy's view may be voicing and recognizing trends and their eventual outcomes. Today one may attain degrees from Library Schools without ever setting foot in a physical classroom. Online classes are becoming available in multiple disciplines.
The dreamers of the Internet saw it as breaking boundaries and providing access to all regardless of class background. As a business model entities like EBay, Amazon, Facebook, LinkedIn are making money. Entire virtual economies are envisioned through video game simulations like SIMs virtual families and virtual cash becoming real cash in virtual existences such as "Second Life".
Utopian? Maybe, but newspapers and magazines are deep in the thrall of the digital movement and their "old" world has become topsy turvy and unpredictable. Where we are going remains to be seen. James Tracy's vision is just one of multiple visions and possible outcomes. This will inevitably influence the Future of Libraries. Every library, public and private, university and school is being influenced by the continuing technological revolution. Budgets, allocations between books and technology each competing for scarce dollars are all enjoined in this question of The Future of Libraries, with and without books.
Scary? A critical juncture? Simply a transition? Whatever it is libraries will be there to help us understand what is happening.... or will they?
Happy Halloween!
In early September Cushing Academy a private preparatory school located in Ashburnham, Massachusetts distinquished itself with a controversial article which appeared in the Boston Globe. The article was not about its $43,000 per year tuition and board for students in grade 9 through 12. No the article was on Cushing's Library and headmaster, James Tracy's vision of an all Digital Library. The title of the article, "A library without books".
Tracy's view of the 21st Century Library is all digital. His library has a small collection of 20,000 books (hardbound). Those books, collected over time, representing many disciplines, have been discarded. Here's Tracy's rationale, “When I look at books, I see an outdated technology, like scrolls before books. This isn’t ‘Fahrenheit 451’ [the 1953 Ray Bradbury novel in which books are banned]. We’re not discouraging students from reading. We see this as a natural way to shape emerging trends and optimize technology.’’Instead of a library, the academy is spending nearly $500,000 to create a “learning center,’’ The Globe report continues, "In place of the stacks, they are spending $42,000 on three large flat-screen TVs that will project data from the Internet and $20,000 on special laptop-friendly study carrels. Where the reference desk was, they are building a $50,000 coffee shop that will include a $12,000 cappuccino machine. They have spent $10,000 to buy 18 electronic readers made by
Whatever you may think, Tracy's vision represents one end of a continuum on the Future of Libraries. Tracy sees an all digital future with access to millions of books (and thoughts) in digital form. Beyond whatever reaction you may have there is the question of stability of digital formats. Will a digital format be able to be read 20 years from now; 100 years from now; 500 years from now? A book with all its flaws is archival. Something printed 500 years ago and preserved in bound paper can still be read. Digital formats decay and progress. Backward compatibility is critical.
The Internet, which is 40 years old this month has taken us on a continuing journey along the digital online, virtual path, to the extent that virtual communities such as Facebook, Twitter, Blogs, MySpace, Google, are all parts of our daily discourse. Do libraries need buildings? Can Public libraries be disconnected from their physical boundaries(and tax bases). Google wants Google Books to provide millions of books currently housed in libraries to all wherever they live. James Tracy's view may be voicing and recognizing trends and their eventual outcomes. Today one may attain degrees from Library Schools without ever setting foot in a physical classroom. Online classes are becoming available in multiple disciplines.
The dreamers of the Internet saw it as breaking boundaries and providing access to all regardless of class background. As a business model entities like EBay, Amazon, Facebook, LinkedIn are making money. Entire virtual economies are envisioned through video game simulations like SIMs virtual families and virtual cash becoming real cash in virtual existences such as "Second Life".
Utopian? Maybe, but newspapers and magazines are deep in the thrall of the digital movement and their "old" world has become topsy turvy and unpredictable. Where we are going remains to be seen. James Tracy's vision is just one of multiple visions and possible outcomes. This will inevitably influence the Future of Libraries. Every library, public and private, university and school is being influenced by the continuing technological revolution. Budgets, allocations between books and technology each competing for scarce dollars are all enjoined in this question of The Future of Libraries, with and without books.
Scary? A critical juncture? Simply a transition? Whatever it is libraries will be there to help us understand what is happening.... or will they?
Happy Halloween!
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