Are libraries obsolete? I'm still not sure I know the answer but a decent read nonetheless. Many opportunities were missed in making stronger and more valid points, but an overall general idea is given to some dangers and cautions we should have moving into the future. A stronger editor could have been used too as there were more than a few typos and misspellings. Also maybe a more involved editor could have guided the narrative a little better in a more direct route. ( )

This book would have deserved three or even four stars for the subject matter, but several leaked out though editor-sized holes. The author is prolix, wordy, and repetitive. At times, several consecutive sentences say the same basic thing. Sometimes, the writer will use the very next line to communicate very similar information to the previous line. There are several errors of fact that a quick Google search could have fixed, and a sprinkling of those pesky typos that elude the guns of Fort Spellcheck (ie, "exit" for "exist"). If an editor looks at this and shaves off 40-50 pages, then this book becomes a lieutenant general, with a chance at further promotion.

One of the main criticisms Herring makes is that the internet has exacerbated pre-existent problems such as plagiarism, pornography, and plain old wasted time. This is a fair point, but I am still confused as to how this is a something that the continued existence of libraries will solve, especially since the author repeatedly denies that he thinks libraries should replace the internet. These are chapters better suited for the book "problems the internet must face".

His most compelling argument for the continued value of libraries is that a well-run library represents (and a good librarian enables) a meaningful selection, a curated portion of the sum knowledge of the world. Libraries are places where signal is isolated from noise by educated, competent people. If this is what we want, then we should want libraries to continue. ( )

Terrific title. Terrible format.

By the title alone, I thought this book would serve as a wake-up call for librarians, educators, and leaders of our country to save our libraries. But I had a hard time staying awake while reading the first 122 pages.

In 2001, the author wrote a piece titled, "10 Reasons Why the Internet Is No Substitute For a Library." And he spends the first 122 pages of this book "ferreting out" whether what he said in 2001 is still true. Who cares what he said about libraries in the past? Readers want to know what he says about the future of libraries.

The very last chapter of this book, Chapter 14, beginning on page 187, is titled, "Are Libraries Obsolete After All? Two Scenarios." In this chapter, the author looks into the future, and shows us two worlds: one where libraries are obsolete, and librarians are as extinct as dinosaurs; and another where libraries are still around, and librarians find ways to use the information highway as a tool to provide knowledge for their students and customers.

The very last chapter of this book, Chapter 14, should have been the first chapter of the book. And I recommend readers begin reading this book on page 187, "Are Libraries Obsolete After All? Two Scenarios." Only then can the rest of the book make sense. If one chooses to begin reading on page 1, I fear the reader will find the first 122 pages to be "too much information." But if one chooses to begin reading on page 187, the reader will find the first 122 pages to be "well-found knowledge." ( )

I had great hopes for this book, but in the end it was an excruciating read. Frankly, the first half of the book can be skipped. It purports to provide an update to an earlier well-received list of "10 Reasons Why the Internet Is No Substitute for a Library" (which is not directly provided). The style is often rambling, and offers no clearly defined argument, instead being a laundry list of observations, some more well-informed than others. On a personal note, I found many of his vocabulary choices more pompous than artful, and his frequent attempts at humor uniformly fell flat.

The second half is more interesting, and we see a glimpse of an original argument. He offers two scenarios for the future of the library: If technology achieves all it promises, the library is doomed to obsolescence. But since technology is flawed, and may end in apocalyptic failure, libraries may find a place in the rubble. There is, however, no *positive* role for libraries, at least as far as he describes. The fault is that he recognizes no function for libraries other than as information outlets, failing to consider that the library qua library might be an end in itself, rather than a means to the end of finding a quote for sophomore English paper which, frankly, probably can be done better on Google.

Oddly, he concludes the chapter with a list of things that librarians should do to "prevent library obsolescence" (p. 215), and this list is a provocative outline for the book he should have written. Perhaps someone else will. As it is, he provides no insights on these strategies, and thus the book as a whole ends on a disappointing note. ( )

I was disappointed to find this book didn't really focus on the rise or fall of libraries, but instead focused on the internet itself.
Mr. Herrings infograph: 10 Reasons Why the Internet is No Substitute for Libraries is mentioned, but not published in this book. Ironically, I had to look it up on the internet. That being said, I found "10 Reasons" to be more relevant to his argument for the book than the book itself. Reason #2 for example: "The internet is like a vast uncataloged library".
The librarians I work with find this to be a reason for job security. Many patrons get lost in the vast information on the internet. It is no way organized and you never know which sources you can trust.
If Herring had stuck to his "10 Reasons" I think I would have found this book much more interesting. ( )