The Infinite Library

Abstract: Despite questions about the limits of access to materials and the future of publishers and libraries, Roush claims that the value libraries can add to our huge digitized world is the same as it’s always been: selecting/filtering, collecting, and cataloging knowledge for people’s use.

Review

Worries about the death of libraries often occur in the face of our slowness to adopt technological changes. And, should the unthinkable happen, and libraries as they are traditionally conceived of become obsolete: we must adapt.  We simply need to focus on services and skills we offer that are uniquely situated to add value to this information age:

• evaluative,
• filtering, and
• cataloging.

Using the newly-embraced Web technologies, we should build, market and enhance those skills to keep us relevant and helpful to our information-overloaded communities.

Roush, Wade. (2005). The Infinite Library. Technology Review, 108(5), 54-59. Retrieved September 2, 2008, from http://www.technologyreview.com/read_article.aspx?id=14408&ch=infotech