Making the Most of New Technology

Technological change often appears to be bombarding us fast and furiously from every newspaper and news magazine. Headlines and lead stories tout new machines, new home delivery systems, virtual reality, multi-media, Internet, 3DO, CD-ROM, CDR and WORM. Yet in this rapidly expanding technological world, many libraries have less and less money to meet more and more demands for service. This book should help libraries to carefully plant their acquisition of new technology and offer essential service without wasting scarce resources. Imhoff describes some of the changes coming to our world that will affect libraries and information delivery and provides coping tools and an in-depth look at factors that will cause change and require technological planning. She also explores possible roles libraries could choose to play in the future and explains how technologies might be involved. The book includes an idea analysis worksheet that fosters efficient planning for technology changes and improvement of service to the client group.