After the Book: Information Services for the 21st Century

There have been many books published about the implications of the transition from print to digital and the effect that this will have on libraries, librarians and their clientele. It is difficult to think of another, however, which is quite so radical and futuristic in vision than this one by George Stachokas.

Stachokas believes that, essentially, there is no future for the traditional, print-based or even hybrid library – hence the title, “after the book”. Instead, the future of information provision will be almost entirely digital with the exception of special/rare archives and off-site print repositories for material which is not, or cannot be made, available electronically. Stachokas does not appear to have a time frame in mind for this brave new world but provides detailed plans for the transition.

Librarians and libraries are struggling to find a role in the new information environment. Many are wedded to the print past and the response to technological change is muddled – apparently no part of the current set-up is satisfactory or fit for purpose. Stachokas therefore maintains that planning for change is essential and that this involves a root and branch rethink about the library and information environment.

Several of Stachokas’ suggestions are not exactly new, but do involve a more systematic, planned approach. For instance, he envisages several new roles for librarians – as organisers of information, especially in relation to metadata, and as educators embedded in the academic set-up. He believes that the traditional role of the librarian as guardians and cataloguers of the printed word can be updated to include organising access to all kinds of digital information and educating clients about information retrieval and evaluation. However, the librarians will have either come through a reformed library and information school education process or from outside the profession and will be specialists in their fields, be they web designers, teachers or subject specialists.

The print-less library will also have to reorganise itself so that space can be used for non-traditional library activities such as group study, social spaces, IT centres and the like. There may also be occasions where there are librarians without physical libraries – again, a suggestion which is not really new but which will be more prevalent in the declining print environment.

Stachokas also considers the problems surrounding the purchase of digital material and the need for better co-operation between authorities to provide better provision through purchasing consortia. This is likely to become more of an issue as print becomes rarer and authorities question the need for either physical or virtual libraries – or indeed librarians. He also devotes a chapter to the digital divide where whole communities are in danger of missing out. I was a little disappointed that he spent little time discussing resistance to digital information and the preference by many for print over, particularly, e-books. There are some who think that the vision of a print-less library is over-egging the pudding a little and that the traditional library will last for much longer than expected. After all, we have been promised the paperless office for the best part of three decades, but in most environments, it still exists in some form or other. Nonetheless, this is a very useful book for anyone planning library services for the future. Stachokas has attempted to answer the question “What are libraries and librarians for?” and for that he demands much credit.