[Publib] RE: Future of the Library

[Robert L. Balliot]

Tom,

I agree with your assessment.  When I looked at the
video, it reminded me of the exhibits at the Museum
of Science in Boston.  There are lots of interesting
concepts that can be explored.

I think it would be worthwhile to do a study on future
funding models/ scenarios for public libraries from
a municipal, regional, and state budget standpoint.
I think a preemptive study rather than one made after
funding dollars are lost would be advantageous.

The marketing resources of IT companies is immense.
They are in it for profit and the sale.  When we 
market our resources with the limited funds we have
for that purpose, it results in more work.  So, in
areas with libraries with a disinterested workforce,
or trustees with badges, it could  be much easier 
for the for profit ventures to displace library funding 
by making a better sales pitch.

Once marginal, superficial services are available as
the norm and acceptable to the general population,
it will be easier to push that funding model where
libraries are more successful.

I think libraries as they exist are a remarkable
result of the evolution of information resources.
The video, to me, represents nice things that could
augment what we do and valid for study, but they
do not replace the sum of library evolution. I love
the old books and I like the search power we have
added to the process.  Those things belong together.

*************************************************
Robert L. Balliot
1-401-421-5763
Skype: RBalliot
Bristol, Rhode Island
http://oceanstatelibrarian.com/contact.htm
*************************************************
-----Original Message-----
From: publib-bounces at webjunction.org [mailto:publib-bounces at webjunction.org]
On Behalf Of Moran, Tom
Sent: Wednesday, July 25, 2007 3:58 PM
To: publib at webjunction.org
Subject: [Publib] RE: Future of the Library

 

This is a topic which fascinates me. The video seems like a clever
compilation of things libraries could do as programs or exhibits, but if
libraries become that "electronic" there won't be many reasons for
people to leave home to get their reading or information. What disturbs
me about most discussions of "paperless" or "bookless" libraries is that
we depend on the perceived preference for books over e-books by the
public. However, since most all public libraries are funded by
governments the real question seems to me to be: when both information
and text are available to anyone electronically how will we be able to
convince those who control the government purse strings that they need
to continue to keep budgeting millions of dollars for physical
libraries? We've already seen the stress on many state and local
governments (heard of any closed or drastically cut back libraries
lately?) of medicare/medicaid/social security for baby boomers, energy
costs and continued global warming, homeland security costs, increased
competition from globalization, and a resistance to higher taxes to
support services, etc. When the powers that be can hire a few librarians
to broker deals for electronic access for all citizens why spend all
that money on buying and storing physical volumes and maintaining
physical spaces for book clubs or coffee klatches? Shouldn't we as
professionals be evaluating the future of libraries based on the
possible future government funding environment and not on whether there
will be paper or not?

Tom Moran
Adult Programming and Outreach Manager
Austin Public Library
800 Guadalupe St.
Austin, TX 78701
512-974-7452
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