23 Things - # 15.

In two of the perspectives on Libraries: The Next Generation, Rick Anderson and Michael Stephens both discuss eliminating the barriers to patrons access to information. Chip Nilges argues for the direct accessibility by patrons to web tools that previously were librarian exclusive. These ideas will empower patrons to self-serve their information needs without having to use a physical library or to go through a librarian. Thus libraries will need to not only keep up with web technology but to lead these technologies in order to continue to serve a user population. More and more, future librarians may be stationed at their computers (plural) inter acting with the library community only through the world wide web.