Steve chats with Sandra Hirsh, editor of Library 2035: Imagining the Next Generation of Libraries, about her journey into the field of librarianship, insights into the critical role libraries will play in the coming years, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, and why she retains an optimistic outlook on libraries despite the challenges they face.

Read the transcript!

Building on the success and impact of Library 2020: Today’s Leading Visionaries Describe Tomorrow’s Library by Joseph Janes, Library 2035: Imagining the Next Generation of Libraries updates, expands upon, and broadens the discussions on the future of libraries and the ways in which they transform information services to best serve their communities.Library 2035 explores the lessons learned over the past decade and forecasts the opportunities, strengths, and challenges for libraries in the future. Contributors including R. David Lankes, Kelvin Watson, Annie Norman, Miguel Figueroa, and Nicole Cooke, along with 25 other library leaders, were asked to describe the “library of 2035” in whatever way they wanted. Their responses to this question will inspire, provoke, challenge, and expand our thinking about the role and importance of libraries in the future. Library leaders, LIS students and faculty will find this book particularly meaningful and useful as we grapple with what the future of libraries and the profession will be.

Sandra Hirsh is associate dean for academics in the College of Information, Data and Society at San José State University. Before this, she served as professor and director of the SJSU School of Information and worked at HP Labs, Microsoft, and LinkedIn. She actively contributes to library and information science professional associations and has previously served as president of two international associations: the Association for Library and Information Science Education (ALISE) and the Association for Information Science & Technology (ASIS&T). She holds a bachelor’s degree and Ph.D. from UCLA and an MLIS degree from the University of Michigan. She is a second-generation librarian and she is passionate about the important role that libraries play in our society.

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Library 2035: Imagining the Next Generation of Libraries
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