Why Libraries Matter More Than Even in the Age of Google | John Palfrey | Talks at Google
39Educator and technology expert John Palfrey visited Google's office in Cambridge, MA to talk about his book, "BiblioTech: Why Libraries Matter More Than Ever in the Age of Google".
In the book, he claims that libraries today are more than just book repositories, and that they can become bulwarks against some of the most crucial challenges of our age: unequal access to education, jobs, and information.
He goes on to argue that, in order to survive our rapidly modernizing world and dwindling government funding, libraries must make the transition to a digital future as soon as possible—by digitizing print material and ensuring that born-digital material is publicly available online. These modifications are vital if we hope to save libraries and, through them, the American democratic ideal.
John Palfrey is an educator, scholar, and law professor. He is a notable authority on the legal aspects of emerging media, and he is an advocate for Internet freedom, including increased online transparency and accountability as well as child safety.