The Future of Libraries

Over the past 20 years, scholars across many fields have engaged in speculative thinking about the future of libraries with many questions about the future of scholarship, research, the preservation of cultural heritage, and the provision of information services to communities, to name a few.  iSchool faculty have a breadth and depth of expertise that positions the School uniquely and strategically to explore the purpose, shape and function of libraries and the role of librarians in future information environments worldwide.  Our strong Master of Library and Information Science (MLIS) program takes advantage of the many research interests and expertise within the iSchool and educates leaders who will continue to shape our future.  

Our work cuts across technology, design, digital youth, Native North American Indigenous Knowledge, data resources and services, libraries, data science, policy and ethics, social media, disaster recovery, community engagement, and information management.  Our intention with a strategic focus on “The Future of Libraries” is to lead and collaborate with our peers in the academy and the profession, and to direct and influence the practice of librarianship and the role that libraries must play in the lives of people and communities in the 21st century.