The Bodleian Library -The Bodleian Library -from Gutenberg to Googlefrom Gutenberg to Google

Presentation to the e-Book SymposiumPresentation to the e-Book Symposium

University of Hong KongUniversity of Hong Kong

Reg CarrReg Carr

Bodley’s Librarian, University of OxfordBodley’s Librarian, University of Oxford

21 September 200621 September 2006

““The book is dead!”The book is dead!”

“Move over Gutenberg!”“Move over Gutenberg!”

Johann GutenbergJohann GutenbergRIPRIP

“ “The book is dead!” The book is dead!”

The printed book The printed book RIP RIP

Or is it?Or is it?

The principle of ‘co-The principle of ‘co-existence’ of existence’ of

communications media communications media typestypes

(The notion of ‘overlap’)(The notion of ‘overlap’)

‘‘Co-existence’ still at workCo-existence’ still at work

• ‘‘Fitness for purpose’…Fitness for purpose’…

• E-mails, text messages E-mails, text messages and and lettersletters

• Cell phones, laptops Cell phones, laptops and and pens and pens and pencilspencils

• Keyboard skills Keyboard skills and and handwritinghandwriting

• Overlapping communications mediaOverlapping communications media

““The hybrid library”The hybrid library”

““The dominant user view of a library is of a The dominant user view of a library is of a physical space. But libraries are services physical space. But libraries are services which provide organised access to the which provide organised access to the intellectual record, wherever it resides, intellectual record, wherever it resides, whether in physical places or in scattered whether in physical places or in scattered digital information spaces. The ‘hybrid’ digital information spaces. The ‘hybrid’ library of the future will be a managed library of the future will be a managed combination of physical and virtual combination of physical and virtual collections and information resources” collections and information resources”

The application of The application of computers in librariescomputers in libraries

From ‘mechanisation’From ‘mechanisation’toto

‘automation’‘automation’toto

‘information, knowledge and ‘information, knowledge and

digital asset management’digital asset management’

The ‘discontinuities’ of The ‘discontinuities’ of communications in the age of the communications in the age of the

Internet: Internet: big changes under waybig changes under way

• Broader than just librariesBroader than just libraries

• The nature of publishingThe nature of publishing

• The cycle of authoring, The cycle of authoring, publication publication

and readingand reading

• Economic issuesEconomic issues

• Legal issuesLegal issues

• Social issuesSocial issues

““Whither (wither?) Whither (wither?) Gutenberg?”Gutenberg?”

andand

“Whither (wither?) “Whither (wither?) libraries?”libraries?”

The digital information The digital information revolution:revolution:

a phenomenal expansiona phenomenal expansion

• The InternetThe Internet

• The World Wide WebThe World Wide Web

• Feynman’s digital Feynman’s digital nanocube?nanocube?