The Futurist interviews librarian futurist David Lankes — from The World Future Society (July 2011 Update)
Libraries Move Beyond Books
As more information moves online, traditional libraries are losing relevance, but librarians are becoming more important than ever. This is according to R. David Lankes, author of The Atlas of New Librarianship (MIT Press, 2011). Himself a librarian—he is the director of Syracuse University’s Library and Information Science Program and an associate professor in Syracuse’s School of Information Studies—Lankes sees librarians’ roles evolving into that of “facilitators of conversation” who interact with their communities to support each one’s informational and learning needs. Rick Docksai, staff editor for THE FUTURIST, spoke with Lankes about his book and his views on libraries’ future.
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I predict that the future is going to be fewer libraries and more librarians. The facility is transitioning from places where librarians do their work and to places where communities meet and gather. The physical space is simply where the librarians sit. The electronic medium is where they can research and read.
Addendum later on 6/28/11:
The digital era needs human guides: Why your school should keep, not cut, the Librarian — from Spotlight on Digital Media & Learning