The fiction texts that Pennavaria examines while looking for visions of libraries and books in the future generally either represent an ideal situation where technology let us access information conveniently or a world where books and libraries as we know them are gone as a result society suffers. In both utopian and dystopian conceptions books and recorded knowledge prove to be vital not just for intellectual enrichment but maintaining a balance in power. Even in Pennavaria’s bleak interpretation of On the Beach where to urge to record history seems useless it is at the very least humanizing.
As far as librarians writing about the future it is interesting how persistent the idea is that libraries will become increasingly popular and important to their communities while the basic concept of the library stays the same. I understand the value in staying positive but it is as if some librarians are just waiting for the day that society will be miraculously and overwhelmingly draw to the library without any change on the librarian’s part.
I liked reading about speculation regarding technology in the library. I was surprised at the number of people who seemed to feel that the needs of the library that was facing information overload could only be met by technology although most of the authors weren’t necessarily sure what direction technology would go. Pennavaria did see most visions of the future included both books and some form of a card catalogue. I don’t know much about the science of cataloging but the card-type-catalogue must be pretty convenient and reliable given that Pennavaria didn’t find many who felt otherwise.
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