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Peak Libraries: Are We At The Top Now?

posted by Blake on 09:28 AM September 8th, 2005
from the peak-a-boo dept. Here's An Interesting LISWiki Article on the "peak libraries" idea. Peak libraries is a concept named after the (contested) theory of peak oil. According to the peak oil theory, as the world's oil supply becomes depleted, its supply will diminish along a mathematical curve, causing large economic shifts and forcing alternative power supplies to be explored.
The peak libraries theory states that traditional libraries and librarians, such as those that have existed since the Library of Alexandria, are similarly doomed due to the advent of information technology.

Just as the unskilled assembly line worker was replaced by machines or the elevator operator was eliminated because the general public can use modern elevators directly, librarianship will cease to exist (or be radically altered) by the automation of library work. Trackbacks:

Search Engine with a Friendly Face 2 comments Introducing Ms. Dewey, a marginal quality search engine with a sultry guide, played by Janina Gavankar. Are AI and this "Naked News" approach to information services the wave of the future? News For Library Geeks: Court Holds AI Was Practicing Law w/o a License, Librarians Next? Joe Hodnicki writes "Web-based AI system that helped users prepare bankruptcy filings made too many decisions to be considered a clerical tool. Maybe the software app should take (a) some online law school classes and/or (b) the bar exam. Link to the full text of the opinion provided at Law Librarian Blog."

We already let people search for themselves, how long before the reference interview is conducted by machines? Earlier this year one of the Google founders was quoted saying, "We have some people at Google who are really trying to build artificial intelligence and to do it on a large scale -- it's not as far off as people think." Many reference desk questions are already technical support queries, is it a sign of things to come? This discussion has been archived. No new comments can be posted. Peak Libraries: Are We At The Top Now? | Log in/Create an Account | Top | 6 comments | Search Discussion Threshold: The Fine Print: The following comments are owned by whoever posted them. We are not responsible for them in any way.

Related blog entry
(Score:4, Informative) by lebachai (4637) on Thursday September 08, @10:31AM (#21151) I blogged a bit about this wiki article a little ways back--perhaps it would make interesting, related reading:What a crooked fence I straddle
Re:Related blog entry
(Score:4, Interesting) by Blake (2) on Thursday September 08, @11:13AM (#21155)
( http://eblake.com/ | Last Journal: Monday July 16, @01:39PM ) +1 interesting post on your site. I don't know for sure if the IT department is slowly killing the library, or making it more important yet.
The open stacks thing reminds me that we don't know what's next for us, something we can't predict could pop up. inevitable? I just dunno.

Nice blog! [ Parent ]
The key word here is unskilled
(Score:5, Insightful) by shoe (2556) on Thursday September 08, @11:11AM (#21153)
( http://www.linuxlibrarian.org/ | Last Journal: Monday July 16, @07:56PM )
Just as the unskilled assembly line worker was replaced by machines or the elevator operator was eliminated because the general public can use modern elevators directly, librarianship will cease to exist (or be radically altered) by the automation of library work.
I think the key word here is unskilled. If you watch most patrons coming in off the street looking for something other than the book they know the title of, they have horrendous search skills. And that's where we come in.
We rolled out the DiscoverStations (yay!) last week, and no one had a question about using them... the questions were about using Google. Yes, searching Google. Such as, why is Google not going (you have to click the search button). And why is going not showing me the page I want (you have to click the link). Seriously, people had these questions. And yes, I did get the more serious, "Google is not returning the results I want, can you help me?" but I fear most of those people just sort of clam up and shy away, embarrassed (even though there's nothing to be embarrassed about).
Our jobs will change a bit, and we'll need to adapt a bit. That's the difference, though, between a skilled worker and an unskilled worker.
I think with the amount of information that is becoming available to people, we're probably going to become more relevant than ever. Just not with that relevancy limited to the "traditional" materials.
Re:The key word here is unskilled
(Score:5, Insightful) by Blake (2) on Thursday September 08, @11:17AM (#21156)
( http://eblake.com/ | Last Journal: Monday July 16, @01:39PM ) Good points. I just worry because Google et. al. are all working hard on systems that do the work of us skilled workers, and do it fairly well right now. I can't imagine what they'll be like in a few years. I hope our jobs will change alot, and we will adapt. I can't see what the future holds for our profession at this point, shouldn't it be obvious by now?

I like you idea that we'll be working with stuff other than the "traditional" materials. [ Parent ]
Re:The key word here is unskilled
(Score:2, Interesting) by GregS* (2813) <greg@shush.ws> on Thursday September 08, @11:48AM (#21158)
( http://www.shush.ws/ | Last Journal: Wednesday June 13, @04:43PM ) " I just worry because Google et. al. are all working hard on systems that do the work of us skilled workers, and do it fairly well right now."
Ugh. I'm sorry I just don't know how this can be true.
--
Greg McClay - greg@shush.ws - www.shush.ws
[ Parent ]
Re:The key word here is unskilled
(Score:3, Funny) by mdoneil (2301) <lisnewsNO@SPAMoneil.cx> on Thursday September 08, @09:59PM (#21166)
( http://oneil.cx/WP | Last Journal: Wednesday July 18, @06:22PM ) If it is can I have my unemployment check sent to Gereral Delivery (Poste Restante) Merida, Yucatan, Mexico? --
"Freedom consists not in doing what we like, but in having the right to do what we ought." [ Parent ]

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