Reading #3
“The Future of Libraries- Beginning the Great Transformation”
Thomas Frey

I think this is a very informative article on how libraries originated and the possible future of them. The history of DaVinci and the journeys of his work are one of my favorite parts of the article. I figured art dating back hundreds of years ago had a rough journey to make it to the present, but why would someone try to alter/organize another artist’s work?! I definitely believe the printing press is in the top three inventions of all-time. Without the printing press, I believe over 75% of the world would be illiterate.
I agree with all of the trends that are described in the article except for: trend #2 because technology does not just end, it evolves/advances. The reason I say this is because the cassette tape is essentially a mini 8-track(yes, they are visually different), but they work on the same principle. The only reason I can think of for a piece of technology to end is either it’s broken or new advancements have came along and they stopped producing that piece of “technology.” Even then, it really has not ended because someone that still has the equipment to run it can still do so, but may not be able to purchase additional items for it.
I believe Randall Library does a pretty good job at the recommendations the author makes for libraries to move into the future. I have taken a few surveys about the library and I know Ms. Pemberton asks the class their opinions on the library periodically. I think they do a great job in embracing information technology because they have numerous computers, numerous database subscriptions, Second Life, etc. Overall this was an excellent article to read; not only for the history, but also to get experts viewpoint on how technology is going to affect the future of the libraries.