What Is The Future Of The Library? Bright When Digital!

As academic knowledge digitalizes, the libaries keep pace or even make the pace. The Higher Education Network of my old employer, The Guardian, has an interesting special on the future of libraries. Claire Shaw and her colleagues have done excellent work! I thought I quickly share some of the findings I came across. To sum it up: while all those libraries define their role quite differently, one thing is certain: digital technology is getting more and more important. This is what their plans are:

- Nigeria pushes knowledge with electronic resources: The American University of Nigeria shows how technology can help to unlock knowledge – with the use of Open Access resources, as its director explicitly says. They train their stuff in using the technology and getting Open Access material. With an interesting outcome:
Total usage of ebooks: 2011: 1,889 / 2012: 45,442
Total usage of books 2011: 16,185 / 2012: 8,892