Four Trends Shaping The Future Of Libraries

Libraries are places of inspiration, escape and shelter for many. As we emerge from a pandemic, libraries across the world are striving to find a way to innovate and serve the modern-day patron.

The future library is here

Now that we are emerging from the Covid-19 pandemic, patrons are keen to use their library as a way in which to reconnect with members of their local community and engage in topical discussion.

Just like most businesses, libraries have had to evolve and adapt to the changing environment. This has, in turn, sparked innovation in the library sector. As a result, new trends have emerged, and the outlook for the libraries willing to embrace change is promising and exciting.

Having explored the many ways in which libraries have pivoted during the pandemic, we take a closer look at the five trends that are shaping the future of our libraries.

1)Sustainability

With global events such as the recent UN Climate Change Conference bringing sustainability into public focus, patrons are expecting their libraries to be at the forefront of positive environmental change by introducing more sustainable practices into their everyday culture. Many libraries across the US are already taking steps to reduce their carbon footprint, such as reducing their annual electricity usage and sourcing equipment from ethically approved providers.

Devices such as occupancy monitoring tools can be used to identify areas of a library that are frequently unoccupied and are therefore not required to be fully lit during all hours of the day. The Jean Anderson Morgan Student Center in East Georgia, for example, has made significant improvements in reducing its energy usage in recent years by installing occupancy sensors throughout its library study rooms; bulb costs have declined significantly, with fewer replacements needed in low occupancy areas.

Installing automated equipment that runs on minimal electrical power is another way for libraries to operate more sustainably without compromising patron experience. Sophisticated self-service machines are now able to simplify the process of loaning and returning items without causing a drastic spike in a library’s electricity bill.

2) Flexible Social and Co-working Spaces

Since the first emergence of state-wide lockdowns in March 2020, people have been more eager than ever to reconnect with members of their local community and engage in regular social interaction. During the pandemic, many libraries were forced to close in order to comply with government regulations. Those that remained open introduced several measures to accommodate for social distancing, such as partition walls and self-service kiosks.

Ironically, this has now become a way for libraries to incorporate more open spaces into their facilities, encouraging users to see their local library as more than simply a hub of information. With a recent survey predicting an increase of 87% in the number of Americans working remotely by 2025, equivalent to around 36.2 million workers, the spotlight has shifted onto libraries to as ideal spaces for communal working. To those working remotely, the library offers access to a wide range of physical and digital resources, all of which can be used whilst engaging in social interaction with other library patrons. West Kendall Regional Library in Miami, for example, has introduced its own ‘YOUmake Miami Space’, wherein visitors are welcome to work and collaborate with others in a single shared space with a kitchen and other useful amenities.

With students and workers becoming regular visitors, the demand for libraries to evolve into places where patrons can come together to share common interests in a productive environment is likely to grow.

3) Social Media Presence

As more patrons access information via their mobile devices, with an estimated 83% of the population regularly browsing the web through a smart phone, libraries will need to direct more resources into developing a strong online presence. Multiple libraries across the US have already begun to integrate mobile technology into their loan and return processes, giving patrons the option of tracking their library loans through an app.

Interacting with patrons through social media is a rapidly evolving trend that appeals to a much larger demographic, with mobile users predicted to grow to just over 287 million over the next two years. Whether it’s posting tutorial videos on how to renew an item or advertising an upcoming event, it is always worth using social media to engage with new and existing patrons.

4)Smart Budgeting

Due to increasing maintenance and energy costs, many libraries have been forced to take a stricter approach to their annual budgeting. Although not ideal, this has led to libraries introducing more innovative and time-saving solutions for maintaining a positive user experience. Self-service kiosks and holding devices, for instance, allow patrons to use their local library during unsociable hours without the need to employ extra staff members.

Overall staff costs can be dramatically reduced without compromising user experience; whilst new technologies enable patrons to loan and return items without constraint, library staff can redirect their attentions into patron interaction. As discussed earlier, occupancy monitoring devices also allow for a decrease in energy bills, helping libraries to focus their funding on structural improvements and stock rejuvenation.

Given the increasing levels of environmental awareness amongst library patrons, any budgetary measures taken to promote sustainability are likely to be well-received amongst library users.

5)Technology-driven Solutions

With the 21st century being regarded as the ‘Fourth Industrial Revolution’, rapid changes to technology and the evolution of programmes like AI and automated machinery are likely to change the way libraries deliver certain services.

As educational institutions, libraries are designed to help patrons expand their knowledge and share it with other members of the community. New advancements in technology can help make this process even simpler. Artificial intelligence (AI) can now incorporate facial recognition into its software, for example, allowing library systems to identify individuals using a data base of thousands of facial images. This sort of technology is likely to make its way into libraries in the near future, with entrances logging patrons in without the need for them to manually scan a library card.

Given that the majority of libraries are already relying on self-service equipment to improve patron experience, it’s not beyond the realm of belief to suggest that artificial intelligence may play a larger role in library technologies as it becomes more sophisticated.