Library and Information Science Commons^™

Tomorrow's Research Library: Vigor Or Rigor Mortis?, Richard Hacken

Faculty Publications

The gamut of futuristic visions in library literature—from optimistic to pessimistic, from realistic to fanciful. Contradictory answers to recurring questions are found: Can we finally say goodbye to Gutenberg? Will the library card be replaced by the telephone credit card? Will book ownership give way entirely to information access. Will "books without pages" and "libraries without walls" necessarily lead to librarians without jobs? Is it possible to set timetables? After past crystal ball gazers are compared, contrasted, and critiqued, positive plans for progress are suggested.