The Future of Libraries and Librarians

During my two and a half years of working towards my Master's degree in library science, I can't count the number of times I've been asked why the heck I want to become a librarian. These same people say that no one reads anymore; everyone finds all their information on the internet. Now while I find this to be a grossly inaccurate statement (based on the number of books that pass from my hands to yours on a daily basis), the idea of the future of libraries intrigues me. Some view libraries as a dying and soon-to-be irrelevant organization. But maybe its just libraries as we know them that are ending; instead of dying, however, they are evolving and adapting to meet the needs of our technology-minded culture.

Don't think libraries are forward-thinking places? Visit the Seattle Public Library (above) or check out this design I found for the Czech National Library in Prague (left).


Check out this article to see what some up-and-coming librarians have to say about the future of libraries. They describe how librarians are changing, too. "The Hipster Librarians" are a new group of young, vibrant librarians who are excited about the marriage between books and technology that is librarianship. They don't think libraries are going anywhere anytime soon.

But this is an ongoing debate in the library world. How much longer will libraries be relevant? What do you think? Are we a dying breed, or are we hear to stay?