For scenario-based futurism, but a good read nonetheless. The first scenario is that massive open online courses would have no need for libraries at all, as people can always get their resources elsewhere. The second scenario is that unbundled academic libraries might offer specialized services to students. Academic libraries would serve a number of communities, possibly on a fee-for-service basis. Clearly Steven J. Bell is favouring the second scenario in this interpretation - but that's one of the dangers of these scenarios. They are aspirational. I know that having a vision is an important part of planning for the future, but the future does not become so just because we wish it. "College students are spending on average $1,100 a year on books and supplies." Now imagine the world of the bookstore and library where they spend, oh I don't know, 20 dollars? There's not too much fee-for-service happening there.
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