I read the NextSpace comments of Dr. Wendy Schultz and I felt very encouraged about the future of libraries. Hooray--we have one! Clearly, they will not look like the libraries that I loved as a child: silent rows of wooden shelves packed tightly with actual books, each of which had been cataloged on a dog-eared white card created on a manual typewritter. But what is positive and heartening is that, contrary to the rumble, the library and the librarian are not slated for extinction. Shultz writes:
People will collect librarians rather than books—the ability not just to organise, but also to annotate and compare books and other information sources, from a variety of useful perspectives.
and
With Library 3D, we have strayed far into virtual reality in the flight from bricks and mortar into software. Yet many businesses are demonstrating that storefronts can still draw customers, if they offer a compelling experience: a clearly defined environment that is authentic (true and good); humane (emotional, irrational); experiential (designed, theatrical); impassioned; relevant (understandable, timely); and participatory (open, lived, shared).
The beliefs that she speaks to are that people are social animals and require interaction and in-person sharing which take place at a physical location: at the library, with their favorite librarian.
I agree.
No comments:
Post a Comment