Closing thought – I live in lucky times – I get to see … basically … my whole life change before my eyes. And I get to help it change.

& I couldn't agree more.

Since “But this time is different” is always available as an answer, there’s no good response. Who knows? Maybe it is different. I happen not to believe so. Which doesn’t mean ignoring the possibilities of circulating pure-digital media–but also means not abandoning physical media before your patrons are doing so.

“it’s called Panera” – one HUGE difference there. Panera costs, the library doesn’t. I don’t see that difference changing.

“If people get movies from Netflix, music from iTunes, news from blogs, and books from Amazon or some as-yet-unknown online vendor, why DO we need libraries?” – I still see haves and have-nots here. I’d amend your statement, for example, from “people get movies from Netflix” to “Movies come from Netflix.” That doesn’t mean everyone will want to rent (just like with Blockbuster/libraries now), or event hat everyone will have the newest access devices. They should still be able to rent/borrow from us. Different format – same thing (ie., cool movie).

“When people can create their own content via Facebook, MySpace, and blogs, they assume they don’t need the content of library buildings” – I think you’re blending two things here. Yes, I can create content on Facebook. It’s small little blog posts, and status updates (ie., David’s posting now). That’s VERY different from content I could get, say, from my current book.

And of course part of my answer is checking out Kindles – we’re still dealing with poor people in almost every public library. But ALSO, it’s about having a subscription service for the library so that customers can check out a kindle ebook onto their own devices.

Now, THAT’S a blog post I would like to read. I get it that change is a comin’. All future library scenarios that I run through in my head end up with a store front library space with wifi, lots of electrical plugs and a coffee machine. Wait, we already have that, it’s called Panera. If people get movies from Netflix, music from iTunes, news from blogs, and books from Amazon or some as-yet-unknown online vendor, why DO we need libraries? Simply said–WE DON’T. Gaming and the ubiquitous “library as community center” (used to be “library as bookstore” but we don’t hear that one much anymore tg) simply don’t make sense as library saviors–see malls, movie theaters, and of course actual community centers as examples of once popular group gathering places turned completely useless to most of society. Libraries no longer fit into what has become an extremely individualistic society. When people can create their own content via Facebook, MySpace, and blogs, they assume they don’t need the content of library buildings. And no matter how many pizzas and cokes one can consume while listening to an iPod and talking on your cell phone in a comfy chair in a sign-free living-room like setting, the “new” library has nothing on the local coffee shop, Panera, a city park, or one’s home. So please tell me your answer, or even part of it, isn’t checking out Kindles to library customers.