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Wednesday, March 30, 2011

The Devolution of Public Libraries

"The Devolution of Public Libraries." Library Journal / The Annoyed Librarian.
America: Library Journal Online, March 30th 2011.

"Rather than disappear, it seems more likely that if they’re really needed public libraries will devolve into various pre-20th century forms, probably some variety of subscription library. Subscription libraries were 18th and 19th century predecessors to public libraries where citizens who wanted to read would pay a fee to a library or buy shares in order to access their books and magazines."