1. The Library of the Future

2. Great libraries of the world: the enduring need for access to quality information

3.  Storing the intellectual output of mankind  Transmitting the recorded knowledge of the world  Making information accessible for contemporary uses  Preserving knowledge for future generations Libraries have been central to the history and maintenance of civilisation

4. The challenge of the digital era: electronic information on a global scale  The potential of the new technologies  A growing corpus of knowledge in digital form  The transformation of access  The commoditisation of information  The physical library superseded?  ‘The death of the printed book’?

5. The complex and mixed economy of communication technology ‘revolutions’  The post-Gutenberg mix of print and manuscript  The computer age and the world of paper  E-mail and handwritten letters  Electronic information and the increased production of printed books  The Internet and the use of research libraries

6. Libraries have always adapted both to a changing world and to evolving technologies Libraries have always adapted both to a changing world and to evolving technologies TechnologiesSociety Clay TabletsThe Priesthood Papyrus RollsRulers Scrolls Bureaucrats

7. Illuminated Manuscripts The Wealthy Printed books The General Population Towards greater volume and efficiency Towards greater democracy

8. Moore’s Law, Metcalfe’s Law, The World Wide Web All combining to create something never before seen in the world: At the threshold of an extraordinary revolution in human knowledge For the first time, the prospect of encompassing ALL human knowledge – and making it available to EVERYONE on Earth

9. The possibilities of current technologies: making universal knowledge universally available  Mass storage  Mass-digitisation of content  The Internet  Wireless technology  PCs and portable devices  Cell phones  High-speed/high-quality output devices

10. ‘The Internet myth’: access to universal knowledge  The myth of Internet comprehensiveness  Universal desk-top access not yet here  Only partial access via the search engines  Historic knowledge repositories largely untapped

11. The urgent need: a marriage of information convenience  To make the digital revolution more effective  To pool cross-sectoral expertise and content  To find a more collaborative, global approach  To feed the information-hungry  To raise the bar on content quality

12. The Hybrid Library: a blueprint for universal access  Electronic access to digital and non- digital stuff  Towards an integrated information environment  Desk-top searching of the hitherto inaccessible  The Open Web, the Deep Web, and the non-digital in a single virtual space

13. The Hybrid Library: a general paradigm  A place-holder for the future  Harnesses the historic commitment of knowledge-based repositories  A new model for quality information provision  For surfacing valuable information  Helping to enhance the Internet

14. The Oxford Library system (1) : the ideal ‘proof of concept’ testbed  One of the world’s largest knowledge repositories  A wide range of physical formats  A wide range of external users  Printed legal deposit since 1610  Electronic legal deposit since 2003

15. The Oxford Library system (2) : electronic resource developments  The Oxford Digital Library: established 2000  Unique materials online  The ‘Google deal’: mass-digitisation of out-of-copyright books  High-quality research databases  An institutional e-print archive  Wider access to licensed content

16. The Oxford Library system (3) : a workshop for the ‘Library of the Future ’  Electronic resources accessible principally to local users only  Physical holdings only partially accessible by electronic means  The incomplete reach of an automated stack request system  A range of standards in use  Fragmented access requiring integration

17. The Oxford Library system (4) : a microcosm of the information world  A typically fragmented picture  Inadequate for modern needs  Based on old and new paradigms  Needing integration and remodelling  Incoherent access to information  Complex presentation layer(s)  Barriers to research and personal enquiry

18. The Oxford Library system (5) : the hub of a collaborative federation? The Bodleian Library and the Oxford University Library Services  Embedded in a leading-edge research institution  A world-class knowledge repository  Extensive collaborative experience  Well-placed to bring organisations together ? ? ? ?

19. A new model for resource discovery and access: the keys  Sophisticated array of user-interfaces: technology; authentication; rights management/licensing; e-commerce; metrics  A collaborative approach  High-quality content  Work underway in the Oxford Library system

20. Benefits of the new model: for Oxford (1)  Seamless searching of Oxford’s Hybrid Library content  Sophisticated navigation options  Seamless access to large range of resources: MARC-based and non-standard catalogues; mss/archival finding aids; image files; bibliographic databases; e-journals; harvested metadata  Direct links to local and remote sources

21. Benefits of the new model: for Oxford (2)  Integrated access to digital and non- digital  Enhanced personal access to non-digital  On-demand creation of digital surrogates  Added value for subsequent users  New model tested in live service environment

22. Benefits of the new model: for wider application  Way forward to new model of sustainable information management and delivery  Scalability tested in range of contexts  Customisable applications for users  Interoperability with range of protocols and standards  Designed for new technology devices  Value in academic, business and home computing worlds

23. Benefits of the new model: for wider application  Way forward to new model of sustainable information management and delivery  Scalability tested in range of contexts  Customisable applications for users  Interoperability with range of protocols and standards  Designed for new technology devices  Value in academic, business and home computing worlds

24. The Library of the Future: the challenges (1)  Designing the appropriate architecture  Using OLIS as a starting-point  Exploring Google-like metadata harvesting  Developing and testing in partnership  Overcoming search engine shortcomings  Blending free and charged-for access

25. The Library of the Future: the challenges (2)  Designing flexible interfaces  Handling copyright and other legal issues  Refining the search engines: - access points to disparate materials - repurposing search results - specialist portals and customised browsing facilities

26. The way forward: collaborative action  Selection of partner organisations  12 months’ concerted effort  Six expert groups with specific tasks  Co-ordinated by an Oxford Advisory Board  Project costs: $408k (£240k)

27. The way forward: collaborative action  Selection of partner organisations  12 months’ concerted effort  Six expert groups with specific tasks  Co-ordinated by an Oxford Advisory Board  Project costs: $408k (£240k)

28. Project deliverables and outcomes  A tested and scalable model  Enhanced interface design  Refined search engine capabilities  Enrichment of Internet use  Towards a global electronic information framework

29. What will the Library of the Future offer?  Worldwide access to mankind’s collective knowledge  Universal education for the one billion consumers coming on line in the Developing World  Unprecedented access to research materials by scientists around the globe  First access by Library of the Future partners to the new products and markets created

30. We need your help  To work on the technical complexities of this project  To establish a plan of action to build the Library of the Future  To develop the businesses that will support the larger goals of the Library of the Future  To support those parts of the Library of the Future that are not financially independent

31. The Library of the Future: Are we up for it ? Nothing we will do in our careers may ever be as important… or as enduring