Wendy Schultz in the OCLC newsletter no 2 has a pretty out-there view of where libraries could go. She characterises libraries up until now as treating their offerings as commodities. Libraries 2.0 should be providing value-added products : the commodities but with enhancements such as tagging and user comments. Then we will move to Libraries 3 offering services which are virtual - the librarian as avatar. Surprisingly she looks beyond this to Libraries 4 which will be knowledge spas/salons "revives the old image of a country house library, and renovates it: from a retreat, a sanctuary, a pampered experience with information—subtle thoughts, fine words, exquisite brandy, smooth coffee, aromatic cigar, smell of leather, rustle of pages—to the dream economy’s library, the LIBRARY: a WiFREE space, a retreat from technohustle, with comfortable chairs, quiet, good light, coffee and single malt. You know, the library."
Phew, how long have we got to move through these stages? Seems to me we at the moment are playing catchup as we struggle to offer Web 2 services which add any relevance to what is already being done elsewhere. If only we could make the leap to being proactive instigators but the cautionary principle seems to prevail, especially when a bureaucracy is involved.
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1 comment:
Great job! :)
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