In his essay "The Future of Libraries," Raymond Kurzweil explores the potential fate of the traditional library establishment. In light of the ever-nearing Efuture, he describes humans' lackadaisical obstinancy towards this phenomena as a developmental hindrance and the catalyst for an inevitable downward spiral into library obsolescence. If you see libraries as the central institution "in our society primarily responsible for organizing and presenting codified knowledge" (300), read on. On the other hand, if you see them simply as "a building containing stacks of paper books with librarians who lend these objects out to patrons" (300), then flick off this blamed contraption and resign yourself to the fact that libraries are soon to be nonexistent relics of the past, like them dusty old books yonder in the corner.

Books are not simply collections of documented words. They represent natural and necessary implements of human history. Bound between the covers of books are artful expressions of moments, transported to future generations for contemplation and consideration. The book with its contents is a finely crafted work of art. This art form has reached its peak as a "fully mature technology" (294), but it must rely on the current library establishment to dictate its future, for humans have rarely been noted for their willingness to adapt readily to change.

Libraries are primary sources for the accessing of information, specializing in the book genre. Books are purchased from publishers and placed on shelves, and controlled circulation is implemented through physical observation and check-out and check-in by patrons. Libraries have become centralized in our modern, literate society. For libraries to survive in the new digital age, they must transcend any resistance to "radically alter [their] self-concept" (299); they must research and develop effective means of transforming into distributors of electracy.

Two immediate problems explode to the forefront when considering this grand endeavor. Initially, traditional libraries must develop a plan and then accomplish the tranformation into the new Elibrary. They are then obligated to develop and implement a patron access protocol. This means patrons will utilize an Elibrary by necessarily accessing the new system via laptops or notebook computers. The electronic means necessary to allow patron access must be provided by the Elibrary. This includes technologically advanced, financially accessible or loanable computers with modems being provided to patrons. ELibraries must subsequently arrange a universal set of compensation plans, first between the Elibrary and providers, and secondly between the library and its patrons. As the remuneration agent between patrons and providers, the Elibraries are ultimately responsible for providing Eaccess to patrons at an affordable cost and for compensating providers, including publishers, authors, artists, musicians, programmers, and artifical reality designers. One possible solution to alleviate the financial burden looming over this modernization may be for the Elibrary to allow sponsorship to exclusive online service providers or paid commercial advertisement banners. Libraries must adapt to avoid becoming obsolescent relics found only in the side notes of the Ehistory of literacy. Someone will develop and implement a system of renting or lending Ebooks if the current library establishment defaults.

As technology bounds foreword at white hot speed, laptops are the hub of a new Elibrary world, including traditional books, Ebooks, and electronic materials of all types. Libraries must not merely develop strategic plans of modernization, but they must functionally meld this conceptualization with a technologically undereducated, hands-on, historically print-prejudiced patron base, which is essential to its survival.

Kurzweil, Raymond. "The Future of Libraries." CyberReader. 2nd ed. Ed. Victor J. Vitanza. Needham Heights, MA: Allyn & Bacon, 1999. 291-304.

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