Peak Libraries: Are We At The Top Now?

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.