The Academic Library in 2010

1. Users seldom come into the library building; if they do, it will be for:
   • assistance with special problems
   • casual/recreational reading (primarily in paper format)
   • access to special equipment
   • access for those who lack appropriate equipment and/or expertise
   • contact with people
   • study hall
   • functions (e.g. wine and cheese parties)
   • instruction, group and individual (though some will be done via remote access or off-site visits)

2. Nearly all serials will appear in digitized format (all will probably be produced using computer technology)

3. A high percentage of monographs will appear in digitized form, though much casual/recreational reading will still appear in paper format

4. Networking (the) standard
   • remote electronic access to a wide variety of formats and information through networks will be the norm; the market will force a high degree of standardization

5. CD-ROMs will have passed away as networking provides the primary distributed access to large databases and text files.
   • CD-ROMs may have a niche as access to information for who may need a portable information resource (who may customize disks for specific needs while not able to access networks)

6. Full text retrieval will be at least as standard as retrieval of bibliographic information is today

7. Library staffing way down as labor intensive aspects of the library institution decrease

8. Font end systems for accessing databases will be much more intuitive, greatly reducing the need for information intermediaries

9. Individual access to high quality computer equipment - screens which facilitate easy reading and the use of varied media - a given for every member of the university community

10. Library acquisition, personnel and maintenance costs way down

11. Library out of direct charge loop for access to databases and information services
    • users will have their own accounts
    • university/library will serve as brokers to obtain special rates with information services

12. Library and librarians will serve gateway role and as facilitators to those who need special assistance and/or access to esoteric materials

13. Library will continue to serve as an archive/museum for special materials (e.g., manuscripts, rare books, primary source items)

14. Memory/storage capabilities dramatically up; costs equally reduced

15. Large percentage of library holdings converted to digitized form

16. Advanced technologies and techniques (e.g., cluster and vector analysis) are used to index materials, providing the capability to search efficiently and successfully though and the large databases which will be available

17. There will be new licensing and use fee structures, which will be reflective of the larger user base and lower-cost per use
    • assessments will be more directly tied to the information user

Berger, Ken and Rich Hines. "The Academic Library of the Future: A Year 2010 Draft Plan for the Duke University Libraries." Rethinking Reference in Academic Libraries Ed. by Ann Grodzins Lipow. Berkeley, Calf.: Library Solutions Press, 1993.