Reading Report 3

The article was an outline of the early beginnings of libraries and where they will end up in the future. It also touched on other forms of media and technology, where they have been, and where they too are going. Libraries in the medieval period were extremely important all over the world. The history of the great Leonardo Di Vinci’s artwork is well documented throughout time and the protection of it has always been deemed important. Libraries helped to store his work and other great important documents throughout the years. The invention of the Gutenberg printing press and the endowment of Andrew Carnegie helped to spawn equally important library revolutions in their time, with Carnegie’s loan helping to establish over 2,000 libraries worldwide. Coming from all of this, we are left to wonder where the future of libraries are headed. With all the new information technology becoming more and more available, and with the trend of all forms of technology having limited lifespans, the question is outlined with several trends which to expect over the coming years.

I could definitely see libraries becoming a quasi museum in the future. The “culture center” analogy they used in the article really struck a cord with me and I think that is probably indeed the future of libraries. They will in some way always have a purpose, as the housing of books in my mind will always be necessary. Also, the ability to put books online and onto handheld things is becoming ever more so available, but I am one of those who believe that the physical tangible asset of a book will always be wanted by a great number of people. The only trend I really disagreed with was number 6, as I do not really believe literacy will ever be “dead.” Maybe Dr. Crossman is right, but I think that is an awfully soon timeframe for literacy to be completely dead. I think books and written information have far too great an impact and use to ever be fully defunct.