Designed to appear there where needed

 

Interesting and instructive article that sign by Ernest Abadal and Lluís Anglada, on Item No. 52, about technology in libraries the last 30 years. The article speaks mainly of technological tools: Integrated Library Systems, databases, access to scientific databases, etc ... But there is a time when we read the following passage:

Even have to have a widespread presence of the library, understanding why the systems are more designed to appear where they are needed in order to be visited where they live.

The paragraph refers to the ILS, and the trend towards the disintegration of the systems and the communicative possibilities between tools for different platforms. But if it goes one step further, this phrase can be applied course architecture, design and planning of library buildings. And it is certainly an accurate definition of the stage to which we walk and we can already see some examples. Is imposed and walks into a library that does not seem a library, the library is confused, are blurred, is integrated and camouflaged among other uses and in other ways. The intermediation of the building disappears. And it's not a rejection of the role and value of the library itself, but a wise and necessary adaptation to future scenarios that are already present today. But the really complicated is the following point: being able to think and build libraries, but are hidden, diffuse, be able to appear, with all its potential, when users need it. The building integrated, building-library, is being increasingly superseded by new concepts and new designs, more flexible, and integrate the library into a more global and multi-purpose. The library largely disappears from the first scene of the first line of fire... the challenge is to make it appear at the right time, just when needed. It passes just in case the library to the library just in time. And obviously, this will require a right mix of physical library digital library. Librarians and architects, then, we must think of buildings to appear where needed, when needed.

SOURCES:

• Ernest Abadal, Lluís Anglada. “Tecnología y bibliotecas: una mirada al pasado para ver los retos del futuro”. In: Ítem, n. 52 (2010), p. 23-36


• Image [Accessed: June 26, 2011]