BiblioTech

April 20, 2015
Reviewed by Annie CorenoThe future of libraries is filled with potential, according to Palfrey, the former director of the Harvard Law School Library and founding chair of the Digital Public Library of America. His new book carves out a strong and exciting vision for libraries in the 21st century, one that maintains the core activities of librarianship (“ensuring access to and preservation of information”), by combining the virtues of the library as a public space situated in a community with the vast networking capabilities afforded by the digital era.Palfrey, a passionate advocate for libraries, underlines their importance—but make no mistake, his book is not so much an ode to libraries as a stark wake-up call. The question that looms throughout is whether libraries will even continue to exist. To that end, he paints a harsh reality of the crisis currently facing libraries as they “awkwardly” straddle the analog and digital spheres: “on the one hand, the public sentiment that the digital era has made libraries less relevant, and on the other, the growing number of expectations we have for libraries, stemming in no small part from the very digitalization that the public assumes is making them obsolete.”It’s no revelation that libraries are underfunded and librarians are overworked, but Palfrey believes that in order to solve that dilemma, one must look back to the roots of the library system, when philanthropists endowed them for the public good. “We’ve forgotten how essential are,” he writes. “The knowledge that libraries offer and the help that librarians provide are the lifeblood of an informed, engaged republic.”Palfrey argues convincingly that libraries matter even more in today’s vast information environment than they did in the past. For those unfamiliar with the foundations of librarianship (say, anyone who thinks a librarian’s primary job is putting books on a shelf), Palfrey’s argument helps to move readers beyond the simplistic nostalgia for browsing the library stacks: “The powerful core idea is to focus less on books per se and more on knowledge transfer within a community.” This is far less radical than it sounds—libraries have always facilitated “knowledge transfer” through the books they lend and the collections they build. Palfrey urges readers to shift their understanding of libraries from the physical materials they hold to the activities that those materials promote.This shift paves the way for Palfrey’s vision of libraries in the future. He illustrates the path forward with examples of the ways community libraries are working with the DPLA to became local hubs in a larger network of knowledge intuitions. His enthusiasm for these projects is contagious. The question that remains is where the money for them will come from, but Palfrey leaves this in the hands of his readers. Above all else, Palfrey’s book serves as a strong reminder that readers and librarians alike have a stake in the future of libraries. Whether this is enough to motivate readers to pay it forward remains to be seen. Annie Coreno is a reviews editor at PW. She holds a master’s degree in library and information science from the University of Toronto.

February 15, 2015
Palfrey (Head of School/Phillips Andover Academy; Intellectual Property Strategy, 2011, etc.) reports on his progress setting up the Digital Public Library of America and argues that in the digital era, public libraries are more necessary than ever before.The author, the founding chairman of the Digital Public Library, is involved with reorganizations of particular libraries, such as Harvard Law School Library. He is known for his expertise in various aspects of Internet policy, including open access and intellectual property rights. Here, Palfrey defends America's tradition of philanthropy-based free public libraries, starting with Joshua Bates' 1852 founding of the Boston Public Library, as well as Andrew Carnegie's nationwide provision of library facilities. "The changes wrought by the digital revolution," writes the author, "add up to a perfect storm for libraries and librarians. Every kind of librarian...faces a series of problems that can't all be solved at once using the resources they have today." The traditional job description of "collectors" and "keepers" of information is out of sync with successive waves of digital technology. Libraries, which lack sufficient financial resources, can't keep up with the flood of printed and digital material. The author argues for the support of public libraries as core institutions of democracy, noting that "the knowledge that libraries offer and the help librarians provide are the life-blood of an informed and engaged republic." We must preserve the public spaces and combine them with digital platforms, as both will play an essential role in the future. Palfrey provides insight into local efforts in schools and libraries around the country and highlights the individual trailblazers. He also details national and international efforts that are bringing vast resources to the public and dealing with legal and other issues that come up along the way. A significant wake-up call to increase citizens' access to knowledge and culture, which requires both public awareness and financial support.

Starred review from April 15, 2015

In his latest book, Palfrey (head, Phillips Andover Academy; board of directors, Digital P.L. of America; Born Digital) offers a celebration of libraries as well as a dose of tough love. The author believes that libraries are critical to the future of American democracy, social justice, and cultural preservation, but they must be willing to adapt and innovate in order to remain relevant as society transitions from preferring mostly analog to mostly digital. He argues that libraries' primary focus should no longer be information access and collections, although these will remain important, but they will need to focus on knowledge creation, collaboration, and dissemination. This book is a starting point for thinking about libraries' role in an increasingly digital and connected society, but there is still a lot more work that could and should be done to extend Palfrey's arguments. Chapters are arranged thematically and can be read in any order. VERDICT Palfrey's intended audience is nonlibrarians, and library advocates will find this approach to be useful for thinking about the future without resorting to nostalgia. While it's not specifically written for them, this work should be required reading for librarians, particularly those who are looking to lead their libraries into the future.--Amanda Folk, Univ. of Pittsburgh Lib., Greensburg

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