Future of Libraries and the Knowledge Society
Abstract
Libraries were seen as essential, and cost-effective intermediary bridge
institutions in overcoming the barriers linking information resources and end users
ofthe·information resources, thus enhancing access to information. But, beginning
in the 1990s some systems seen by some users as alternatives to a library, have
emerged resulting in a change in the value and utility oflibraries. Citing the results
of a survey carried out by the OCLC in 2005 to bring out the library users'
perceptions ofa library and the sources that they would rather depend on to
identify and access needed information, the author argues that though some of
the findings are solacing there are more distressing signalsJoo. The finding that
only a small proportion oflibrary users considered library as something to go to or
library website as something to visit when information is needed is an indication
that the brand library is facing challenges from the Web and search engines.
Based on the outcome of the experiments of the Information Villages project of
M. S. Swami nathan Research Foundation, 'Grameen Gyan Abhiyan (Rural
Knowledge Network) aimed at the establishment of knowledge connectivity in
rural India and the Public Network Project started in UK, the paper conjures up
the vision of the library of the future.
