It’s no secret that traditional libraries are having trouble competing with the vast glut of containerless content available freely to all that have access to the magical Internet. Sure, people can use iTunes, Hulu, and the Kindle book store for a price and from the comfort of the sacred couch.
What libraries need to do to remain relevant and move forward is to stop whining and start actively pursuing those pursuits that cement their intrinsic value as places for community, creation, collaboration, learning and - dare I say it? Entertainment.
Libraries like the Seattle Public Library and the Denver Public Library are doing a good job by integrating movie nights, free concerts, author readings, gaming events for teens, computer literacy courses, archives day and all manner of kids activities. Libraries have always hosted events, but the real challenge now is to step away from the obsession with content.
Aaron Schmidt, super user experience librarian, re-posted a great post on this very subject. I will link to it now as it offers more insight than I regarding some creative innovation in Scandinavian libraries and is full of food for thought.
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