Today we considered the future of libraries in the context of social networking and the impact of emerging technologies on service provision in libraries. As a middle aged person who lives with an old person who still has a 78 rpm record player as well as older computers, its interesting to see younger people think that what is emerging now is "it" as in there may not be any major changes in technology soon. But the elusive "market" is always trying to search for the next big thing so we all spend money on it. A quick read of the latest catalogues that come in the paper say the next big thing is 3D TV. Will libraries be providing any services to do with this new technology? Who knows. Will there be a program so we can turn our computer screens into 3D TV. Scott (our local computing guru) tells me you would need a high rating graphics card for it.
Josh went to a talk where he heard that booksellers may disappear. I worked for a book seller for 18 months in Sydney some 20 years ago and they were struggling because some booksellers were heavily discounting big name authors and not carrying smaller 'names'. Our workplace prided itself on finding any title no matter how obscure, which was a good way to provide a service, but not a good way to make quick easy money.
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This is very thought provoking, Kris. I also heard when e-books first came out that booksellers were challenged then, too. I feel there will always be a place for books
ReplyDeleteI also agree. I work in a primary school library and to see the excitement on the student's faces when they have library lessons is wonderful - and something our principal just this week commented on. Usually when books come in I cannot catalogue them fast enough - there is a reserve list the length of my arm for them! Our teachers have also "ganged up" on "the powers that be", telling them if they want to promote literacy, library lessons need to be brought back for the whole school.
ReplyDeleteMy own children are always looking for new books to read - from the library and from bookstores (because there are some books they just HAVE to own!) I probably spend enough at Fullers to keep them open for a while yet(btw, has anyone been to Fullers lately? They are always full of customers, I have not walked in once to find an empty store).
I do not believe books will become "unfashionable" any time soon: books are tangible objects, comething you can TOUCH, FEEL, SMELL (is there anything like the smell of a new - or old - book?) Laptops, machines, do not smell. Technology belongs to the virtual world. Books are real.
I really do hope bookstores don't fade out. There is one place that i can see myself working at and that is in a bookstore. I love books and just to be around people who have the same passion as i do for them is what i want. I agree with Maria in that there is nothing better then the smell of a new book. I love snuggling up in bed or near a nice warm fire and reading a good book. That is something that you can't do with e-books. I can see future generations complaining of sore eyes and headaches from being at a computer for too long reading e-books.
ReplyDeleteWhile nothing beats the smell and feel of a good quality book, I think the ebooks definitely have their place in the world. They have quite a few advantages.
ReplyDeleteThey are available anytime even when the libraries and shops are shut.
They are much cheaper than the real deal.
E-readers are becoming much more user friendly with touch screens that you can turn the page just like a real book.
They are back lit so that you can read in the dark without turning on a light and annoying your husband at 2 am.
Ebooks take up much less space.I read a LOT of books but not all of them are worth buying or keeping. By downloading an ebook I can then decide if it is worth buying the hard cover to add to my permanent collection.
I think cheaper online publishing actually encourages more unknown authors.
Janine