Paul presented to the Geelong Libraries Corporation on Future Possibilities for Libraries

The key points were:

  • Understand what the future of technology and work might look like so you do not embark on a key long-term strategy where significant parts will become a commodity or eaten up by automation unless that is your strategy.
  • Mixed reality applications may play an important part in libraries of the future but they are still fairly clunky.
  • Ultra cheap transport in 5- 10 years via driverless vehicles in low demand times allow new business models to be created.
  • As an example of the medium-term future facilitation of the needs of patient networks in response to personalised medicine and vast amounts of data have a nice fit for libraries. They can provide meeting places, be community orientated, and involved the understanding and curation of information as the core required capability. Libraries should pursue opportunities like this in order to maximise their future value to the community