2003 OCLC Environmental Scan

OCLC just released an environmental scan* on what will shape the libraries of the future. Very thorough, very interesting reading.

http://www.oclc.org/membership/escan/

* Is this the buzz-word of the week? No sooner than I post this item than I began hearing it. Everywhere.

It has become increasingly difficult to characterize and describe the purpose of and the experience of using libraries and other allied organizations. The traditional notions of "library," "collection," "patron" and "archive" have changed and continue to change. The relationships among the information professional, the user and the content have changed and continue to change.

What has not changed is the implicit assumption among most librarians that the order and rationality that libraries represent is necessary and a public good. So there is a persistent and somewhat testy tone to much that is written about the changed information landscape by those in the information community: Why don’t "they" get it that libraries and librarians are useful, relevant and important in the age of Google?

Posted by Tom on February 04, 2004