The Library without books (2)

Imagine for a moment our library (public or any other) closer, we get a mental image of how it is now, with their equipment, their furniture, etc.. All clear, no? Library have a very clear and sharp physical image: building a library should be so, so and so. An environment that is repeated; id'èxit consolidated. Now... try to change this image, delete it and all the shelves and all the books. Leave it empty. Suddenly, all the bibliographic library has vanished. How to rebuild the image of the library? We certainly surprising thing about this new image of a facility that far... do not believe a stable and permanent? How now fill the various rooms and sections of the library?

 

Last Tuesday the October 6th, during the COBDC Breakfast in Tarragona (Spain), this topic appeared, and conversation with Javier Celaya gave me some hints of a possible future... A future, obviously, full of unresolved questions. So all that we speak are simply trends or forecasts.

One of the trends to which it was pointed Celaya books are increasingly in the cloud, to the network. A cloud, a digital space, a digital GEPA shared by various libraries and their users which they can connect and download the books you wish to borrow. This loan was controlled by programs similar to Internet cafes: When timing of loan, the connection between the user and the device GEPA digital cut. That is, the temporary license expires automatically use the user, and the user could no longer read that book from your device, unless, of course, to request extensions.At the University of Chicago that is already experiencing.

So if you suddenly disappear all library materials ... such as fill? Or rather ... when you become? Let spans:

• If the digital information flowing into oceans, from the library must prioritize their access as a critical and essential. So our spaces should be filled with devices necessary for access and consultation. And even should be able to modify, change and redistribute it. So I think we will see a significant increase in the number of computers in libraries, which will fill the old reading room with shelves. And, increasingly, electronic book readers will see how willing the computers (and protective measures to prevent theft, of course). And of course, assume that there would be Wi-Fi network to access users' own devices.

• Obviously, much space ... During the breakfast, Celaya pointed specialization as a possible route.I converted the rooms based on this expertise. He said the case of a library of Helsinki, which had specialized in music, and its rooms converted into rehearsal rooms. What could transform your nearest library maybe a library like the credit unions could benefit small businesses for architects, forming a small nursery specialized companies. And Marcelino Domingo Tortosa? In public, the matter is more complicated, and perhaps should be coordinated with other libraries in the territory ...

• With Celaya agreed that we arrived at the libraries are moving increasingly toward a kind of civic centers. Or at least it seems. But so would revalue the concept of a civic center in our society, and put it in the place that it is up. There should be a dignified process in our social environment of civic centers, some centers that I have an air of second category. I think the library should lead this transformation if, as seems, come on here.

I imagine an extensive library and distributed ... or rather as a library concept. Etere. And with various physical nodes for accessing this concept from civic centers, youth centers, telecenters, Omnia points, passing, of course, for any type of library. And further, what role librarians will play? Also will be a concept?

SOURCES:

• Image [Accessed: 9 October 2009]