Transforming Library towards an Information Hub:Academic Perspectives for Better City Life

摘要

In a networked post-industrialization world, library is undoubtedly facing unprecedented challenges. Will library continue to exit in 7-10 years? The answer is yes and no. Traditional library, as an element of city life for centuries, is certainly vanishing; on the other hand, new type of library is emerging as an information hub for post-industrialization city life. This article is to observe such transformation from the perspectives of academic and professional research. Fundamental changes hit academic and research library first, and certain key functions of a traditional library tend to be unnecessary, or even unimportant, to the post-industrialization city life. Shared collection, service outsourcing, patron driven selection and so on virtually undermine the foundation of a traditional library. In many circumstances, library's traditional functions can be greatly carried on by other social elements, commercial or non-commercial. Traditional library is undoubtedly fading and vanishing, and the transformation of library becomes unavoidable. There are many contradictions emerging in the process of library transformation, such as non-profit vs. corporate, people focused vs. technology driven, physical team vs. virtual net, etc. Behind these contradictions, we can see some factors that complicate the process. In the academic or professional world, these factors could be disciplinary, technical, economical, psychological, cultural and managerial. The existence of such factors determines that library will retain as a major provider for people's information need. While the traditional functions are fading and vanishing, library, as an information hub, is actively playing new roles. Major academic and research libraries begin to cover the areas that traditional library virtually never involves in, such as scholarly communication, including open access and repository; digitizing and archiving; special and specialized collections; library initiated research and publishing; and library as a learning, cultural and social center. These roles gradually demonstrate a new picture, a post-industrialization library that meets the information needs of a networked world. Better library, better city, and better life.