All talks about modern libraries come to digitization and its impact on traditional brick-and-mortar libraries. The question on everybody's mind is "Can they survive?" And what should they do to stay relevant in the changing environment.
Brown & Duguid give us a hint when they point out that "knowledge usually entails a knower" (Brown & Duguid, p.119), in other words that the most valuable assets of the organization are intangible, more precisely talent and expertise of the people who work there. It's nice to build a new library building conceived by a famous architect, it's fine to follow in the footsteps of Barnes&Noble and incorporate a comfy coffee shop, and it's OK to greet patrons even though they are not always comfortable with such aggressive sales tactics. These palliative measures will not solve the problems libraries face.
Staff professionalism and knowledge of the community is at the core of libraries' well-being. Consequently, I think library management should carefully plan retraining staff in two areas: technology and community relations. As librarians we should feel comfortable when dealing with technological innovation, but at the same time we should be queenly aware of the intellectual needs of the community we work with.
Brown, J., & Duguid, P. (2002). The Social Life of Information. Boston, Massachusetts: Harvard Business School Press
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