Books matter: The place of traditional books in tomorrow's library

Abstract

People who love books can find entering an Australian library in the so-called 'cyber-age' to be an unsettling experience. The first thing you notice is the reduced emphasis on book shelves in favour of empty but architecturally pleasing 'public spaces', comfortable cushions, computer terminals, sometimes even new cafes and display areas. Indeed, the current boast of many libraries is that they are 'more than just books', as if there is something embarrassingly old-fashioned and irrelevant about supplying a book-lending service (Browne, 2009).