The Fate of Libraries?

It is strange to note that Carnegie, who built so many libraries, never bought a book for a single one, nor paid for anyone to work in any of them.  Populating the libraries with both books and librarians, were left up to the municipalities in which they were built.  Carnegie, anything but a social progressive, was only concerned with erecting marble and granite edifices upon which he could see his name.  It may be that the building long outlive the use for which they were built.

There are two problems facing the long term existence of libraries.  When I am talking about the

Boston Copley Public Library, Boston, USA

future of libraries, I do not mean in five or even ten years but farther down the road (though, having said that, as we shall see, perhaps not that far).

Publishing, in its many forms, is moving away from print.  At some point there will be a convergence of device and marketing, finding a comfort point for the readers’ eyes and wallet.  In many ways, this will be a boon to readers as they can get the titles they want, whether new or out of print (as Google keeps on with their scanning of books).

Frederick Ferris Thompson Memorial Library, Vassar College, Poughkeepsie, New York, USA

So, in fifteen or twenty years time, what will happen to those large places with all their antiques on the shelves?  Children not yet born will wonder why anybody ever would go to such a place to check a book out when you simply would log onto the website, download a temporary file and peruse it at your leisure.  Books were never searchable, did not have links to other works, why are they still on the shelf?

It may be that some of you would still say that libraries will continue on, that they will never be done away with.  It could be said that I have a reputation as a doom-monger, but how many times in history has one new technology done away with an older one?  Have there been technologies that have faded into the past that you were not even aware of?

George Peabody Library, Baltimore, Maryland, USA

Of course, simply because you had been born after the new technology took hold.  As I have made clear before, I will never divorce myself from the book, even if I have to print and bind them myself, but this does not mean that I am blind to the implications of the future.

Library of Congress, Washington, DC, USA

There are over 130,000 libraries across the country, 16,000 of which are public.  At some point, the cities, counties, colleges and universities, research facilities that operate all of these facilities for the betterment of their community will decide that it is no longer in the tax payers’ interest to spend money on the staff, maintenance and building that houses something so obsolete, which only a very small portion of the population will use.

New York Public Library, New York, USA

The books will be either sold or auctioned or simply recycled.  The buildings will either house other parts of local or city governments, be turned into office buildings or, some of the better designed ones, will become high-end condominiums.  You don’t think can/will happen?  Why not?  Do not think that we have learned so well the lesson of the past two years that we will never have another economic crisis such as we are experiencing now.

Riggs Library, Georgetown University, USA

And even now, in these hard dollar days, local governments are closing libraries and laying off staff all across the country.  All of the branches of the Philadelphia Public Libraries were slated to close until the city council passed a bill to continue funding them.  Little Rock, AK is proposing closing library branches to save $1.5 million, while Pittsburgh will see four branches close.   With cities having problems meeting budgets are closing libraries recently to meet shortfalls, they will be even more eager to do so in the future, when everything available at the physical location will be available on line.  Fewer payroll outlays, no upkeep, the incoming revenue from selling the books and facility, what is to stop them?  Why should they be stopped?  UPDATE-It was announced today that the federal expansion of the education budget will not include libraries at either the school or public level.

Suzzallo Library, Seattle, Washington, USA

You can see from the photos included, that these libraries are reminiscent of cathedrals in many senses.  The heights they attain inspire our ideas to climb even further.  They are an inspiration to the eye, mind and spirit.  In our rush for convenience, a great deal of this will be lost.  As Alberto Manguel, in his book The Library at Night, said, libraries are the ‘reservoirs of collective memories’ and the ‘seat of our culture.’  There may be one or two kept open so future generations can come and see what they used to do in the old days, probably run by the Smithsonian.  But there is always a time when the sun sets, no matter what may be considered.  I myself will lament that day, and hope I do not live to see it, but I do not doubt it will happen.

You can see the the photos and even more libraries around the world at the original post at Curious Expeditions.