I read with great interest “Gutenberg 2.0” (May-June, page 36) about the paradigmatic transformation of Harvard’s library system. However, I don’t think the article sufficiently emphasized the importance of the physical presence of libraries and the critical need to maintain this presence. One of my fondest memories was having the opportunity to study in the different Harvard libraries. I can still recollect my varied experiences in the very social environment of Lamont, the geeky science world of Cabot, the sleek, modern quiet of Loeb, and the homey feel of the Lowell House library. In all of these libraries, books were far more than simply information storage devices—they set the tone for the physical environment, and the accessibility of a number of well-placed books served to stimulate ideas and discussion. Insofar as the primary missions of a great university are education and cutting-edge scholarship, one of the most important aspects of libraries is providing a place for thinking to blossom. Sadly, I think this vision of the library as a sanctuary for scholarship is being eroded in the digital age. In fact, at the rate we’re going, I wonder if the library will eventually be reduced to a telephone-booth-sized information-retrieval kiosk with study and scholarship relegated to the nearby Starbucks (with tuition via latte).
Published Letter:
http://harvardmagazine.com/2010/07/cambridge-02138
Harvard Magazine, July-August 2010
In Response to:
http://harvardmagazine.com/2010/05/gutenberg-2-0
Gutenberg 2.0, Harvard’s libraries deal with disruptive change.
by Jonathan Shaw, Harvard Magazine, May-June 2010
Original Submitted Text of Letter
I read with great interest the recent article about the paradigmatic transformation of Harvard’s library system. The article’s explanation of the profound changes libraries are undergoing and the role digitization and the management of information will play in their future hit the nail on the head. However, I don’t think the article sufficiently emphasized the importance of the physical presence of libraries and the critical need for them to maintain this presence going forward. One of the fondest memories from my Lowell House days was having the opportunity to study in the different Harvard libraries. Just as the way the disparate neighborhoods of a big city conjure distinct associations, smells, and feels, I can still recollect to this day my varied experiences in the very social environment of Lamont, the geeky science world of Cabot, the sleek, modern quiet of Loeb, and the homey feel of the Lowell house library. In all of these libraries, books were far more than simply information storage devices – they set the tone for the physical environment, and the accessibility of a number of well-placed books on shelves or on display served to stimulate ideas and discussion. Insofar as the primary missions of a great university are education and cutting-edge scholarship, one of the most important aspects of libraries is fostering these, providing a place for thinking to blossom. Sadly, I think this vision of the library as a sanctuary for scholarship is being eroded in the digital age. In fact, at the rate we’re going, I wonder if the library will eventually be reduced to a telephone-booth-sized information-retrieval kiosk with study and scholarship relegated to the nearby Starbucks (with tuition via latte).
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