Future Libraries: Dreams, Madness and Reality [Paperback]

Walt Crawford (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback: 212 pages
• Publisher: American Library Association (January 1, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0838906478
• ISBN-13: 978-0838906477
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,345,584 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best Library Book of the decade, January 21, 2000

By 

A. J. Barnett "ajbarnett" (Wisconsin) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Future Libraries: Dreams, Madness and Reality (Paperback)

What they didn't teach you in school. Clear thoughs on the future of libraries, rather than hype and blue sky. If you only read one book on libraries, read this one or his newest, Being Analog. If you haven't read either, you are not well informed on the subject. Hint: Professors from Schools of Information Science hate them.

10 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Not to be taken too seriously, July 24, 2000

By 

UEllis - See all my reviews

This review is from: Future Libraries: Dreams, Madness and Reality (Paperback)

The subtitle of this book gives you an idea of its tone - overdramatic to the point of silliness. It's hard to take Crawford and Gorman's points seriously amid references to straw men such as 'technojunkies,' 'enemies of the library' and 'suicidal librarians.' The authors do make some intriguing arguments to defend their sensible (if conservative) view of libraries of the future, though their style of writing makes them seem more reactionary than they actually are. I found aspects of this book interesting and useful, but it's far from the best book I've read on the subject.

2 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars fighting the good fight, January 1, 2002

By 

John Ronald (Sugar Land, Texas) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Future Libraries: Dreams, Madness and Reality (Paperback)

Crawford & Gorman's book has been nothing but an
inspiration to me. I am an LIS graduate student
and these two librarians are heroes.
They utterly DEMOLISH the feasiblity/desirability
of "All digital libraries" and make solid arguements
for real, existing libraries.

These guys simply just ROCK.
Read William F. Birdsall also, to get a Cannuck
perspective on the same issue.

I dislike Crawford's non-sequitors about
"socialism" but beyond that, every
progressive librarian should read them

LONG LIVE LIBRARIANSHIP!