ALA Special Edition: Risen, Why Libraries Are Here to Stay- The Technology That Almost Took the Library's Power Away Is Now Giving It Back

By the year 2012 futurist predictions were coming true one by one. The Internet had grown increasingly large and more expansive, while the actual number of sources of information had dwindled to a measly few. These sources had become evermore controlling, encompassing and wealthy. The public library is already the guardian of information, the realm and protectorate of the information democracy. Search and web accessibility are key. Focus on the role of being the guide to information will lead to spending lots of energy and resources aggregating and opening up local and specialized resources, all in a single search. People will think of the library as their primary source of information; they will know how to find and access the content of the collections in and outside the library, from any location, at anytime. +6