The End of Wisdom?

Chapter 13

Six Futures of Academic Libraries¹

Joachim Schöpfel     French National Centre for the Reproduction of Theses (ANRT), University of Lille, France

Abstract

Speaking about the future of academic libraries may be misleading in so far as there probably is not one but many futures, because of the great adaptability and variability of the library concept. One size does not fit all, and variability is a key for survival. Here are six different options for the future of academic libraries:

1. A new value proposal for the campus.

2. New content.

3. Moving along the value chain.

4. A good place.

5. Sustainable development.

6. The smart library.

In the age of digital resources, data infrastructures and open science, the future of academic libraries will ...