The Future of Reference in Libraries

Our ideal future for reference service is a mixture of both automated and human interaction. While people will become increasingly comfortable interacting with computer interfaces, there will still be a desire for human interchange. The library will still exist as brick and mortar but will evolve into an information hub and community center. For reference there will be a centralized area for service as well as the ability for librarians to circulate and to appear more welcoming for utility. Automated computer kiosks will be available for patrons who are comfortable interacting with electronic interfaces. Libraries will form a consortium to offer their patrons seamless video conferencing to provide them with access to a wider array of subject specialists. Reader advisory will be automated and user-oriented, building upon the success of sites such as Amazon.com. Patrons will be an important tool for organizing information within the library. Reviews, tagging, and recommendation of books are a few areas where patrons will be able to contribute to. Ready reference will be widely available in digital form with consistent interfaces to ease the transition from paper to digital resources.