Library Web Chic

Technology Review has a neat article about ten emerging technologies. The emerging technology that I found the most interesting was called “universal memory”. The article talks about the development of a new type of memory that

could eventually allow vastly greater amounts of data to be stored on computers and mobile devices. Experts estimate that within 20 years, you may be able to fit the content of all the DVDs ever made on your laptop computer or store a digital file containing every conversation you have ever had on a handheld device.

Storage is already quite cost effective and users can accumulate a ton of information on their on device. However, this technology will increase the amount of data that users have on their devices exponentially. It seems that we are moving closer to a world where each users has their own “personal digital library” on a portable device. In my mind the development of this type of portable and hight density storage has two distinct impacts on libraries. First, it raises the question of what is the role of libraries as repositories if each user can create their own personal repository. Second, libraries need to recognize that their role is increasing becoming one of assisting users with personal information collections (a role we already play) and management. We need to be prepared to help users sort through the information that users have collect in their “personal digital library” search it, compare it, evaluate it, manage it, and add to it. We also need to recognize that there is a vast variety of formats of information which users are struggling to manage: photos, audio files, video files, text-based files, and many more. Users use all these different types of information today and we need to be able to provide assistant in finding all of types of information not just text-based information.