Educational Technology and Change Journal

By Jim Shimabukuro (assisted by ChatGPT)
Editor

(Also see Libraries: An Evolving Sanctuary for Coping With Social and Information Gaps.)

Introduction: I collaborated with ChatGPT for this report on the status of state, community, school, and college libraries. The conversation, below, took us from libraries reinventing themselves to all‑digital public library systems, from ROI to who uses the library, and from digital vs. traditional libraries to liberal vs. conservative opinions on libraries. -js

JS: Good morning, ChatGPT. What is the status of state, community, school, and college libraries? Are they still the hub for information they once were? Assuming that they’re transforming to remain or become relevant in our rapidly changing world in which information has abandoned hardcopy for digital and gone from human-to-human to AI-to-human processing, what are some of the more innovative and successful transformations in the US and the world? Please anchor your research in specific examples as much as possible and lean toward depth rather than breadth. Specific individuals and institutions would be ideal.

ChatGPT: Libraries at all levels—state, community, school, and higher education—are indeed evolving rapidly. While their traditional role as book warehouses has declined, many institutions have embraced innovative transformations to remain vital in the digital and AI era. Below are in-depth profiles of institutions and individuals leading successful reinventions in the U.S. and internationally.

📖 Public & Community Libraries

BiblioTech (Bexar County, Texas)

The U.S.’s first all‑digital public library, BiblioTech opened in 2013 and now operates four branches in San Antonio. It offers no physical books—but provides e-readers on loan, downloadable apps, and access to digital educational and recreational content. Designed to bridge gaps in underserved communities, it saw over 400,000 visits within its first four years (Wikipedia).

Spokane County Library District (Washington)

Through the American Library Association’s Libraries Transforming Communities initiative, Spokane redefined its mission from lending books to engaging with community needs. Employees now lead local “community conversations,” partner on issues like park clean-ups and job readiness, and embed librarians as proactive civic agents—not just custodians of materials (American Library Association).

Saint Paul Public Library – Createch Lab (Minnesota)

With grant support, Saint Paul partnered its parks department to create Createch, a hybrid “tinkering” space for teens combining STEM tools, mentorship, and open access. It blends physical and digital environments and breaks down agency silos to meet youth where they are .

🏫 School & Youth Libraries / Media Centers

Project Look Sharp (Ithaca College, NY)

Rather than a physical space, this initiative equips school and college librarians with media literacy curricula, leading the librarian’s transformation into a facilitator of critical thinking. Since 2021 it has scaled nationally through the “Librarians as Leaders for Media Literacy” (ML3) program, empowering librarians to teach students how to evaluate AI‑generated or digital information (Wikipedia).

Libraries + Instructional Technology Specialists Collaboration

In Virginia Beach City schools, ITS and librarians are now working side by side—treated as co‑leaders in AI integration, policy design, curriculum innovation, and instructional partnerships—rather than behind-the-scenes support staff (techlearning.com).

🎓 College & University Libraries

James B. Hunt Jr. Library (NC State University)

A showcase of futuristic academic services: robotic book storage and retrieval (bookBot), a makerspace, 3D printers, a video-game lab, large-format visualization displays, and “Code+Art” exhibitions. Instead of shelves, students interact with immersive media-rich creative spaces (Wikipedia).

University of Oregon – Allan Price Science Commons & Research Library

Replaced most print collections with collaborative innovation zones, visualization labs, and makerspaces. Only the most-used print materials remain; storage is offsite and robot-accessible. The library is now more of a “science commons” than static stacks (medium.com).

University of Pennsylvania Libraries

Under new leadership (appointed June 2024), Penn has unveiled the “Knowledge for Life” strategic plan—expanding research support, student preparation, AI capability, digital access, and physical spaces redesigned for collaboration. Their aim is to partner across disciplines and support synthesis in the age of information overload (forwardpathway.us).

San José State University – AI Librarian (Sharesly Rodriguez)

SJSU appointed its first-ever AI librarian, leading initiatives in AI literacy, workforce readiness, ethics, and internally developing KingbotGPT, an AI chatbot to answer real-time library resource queries (forwardpathway.us).

🌍 Global Innovations

SolarSPELL (Arizona State University)

This solar-powered digital library delivers curated educational content to low-connectivity communities in the U.S. and around the world. Over 590 kits have been deployed across 15 countries, serving hundreds of thousands—even refugee camps and classrooms in Pacific Islands. In Phoenix, SolarSPELL supports crisis response teams with offline educational tools, reducing burnout and improving public communication. Awarded Best in Show at SXSW 2025 (Wikipedia).

Kitengesa Community Library (Uganda)

A rural library rooted in local ownership and volunteerism, sustaining itself through community support and partnerships. It blends print with digital programming, providing services such as tutoring, vocational training, and outreach that position it as a civic anchor rather than just a book lender (Wikipedia).

🧠 Emerging Tech & Experimental Models

Augmented Reality in Libraries

Recent research (2024) explores HMD-based augmented reality systems in physical college libraries to enhance discovery, engagement, and community experience—demonstrating how AR overlays can transform browsing and programming inside the stacks (arxiv.org).

✅ Takeaways & Why It Matters

• Libraries remain hubs—but their identity is shifting: They now center on creativity, literacy, innovation, civic engagement, and equitable access, in both in-person and digital spaces.
• Role of librarians is expanding: Librarians now act as facilitators, educators, technologists, and community leaders—not just custodians.
• Physical space is redesigned: Makerspaces, labs, media studios, and gathering areas are prioritized, reducing shelf‑space and focusing on experiential learning and collaboration.
• Technology as bridge, not barrier: Solutions like robotic retrieval, digital kiosks, AI chatbots, offline digital libraries, and AR interfaces enhance accessibility rather than replace librarianship.

📚 Are libraries still relevant?

Yes—they are more relevant than ever by transforming their mission and designing for today’s information landscape. When libraries adapt their spaces, staff roles, and services to meet learning, creative, and civic needs, they thrive as information and innovation hubs.

If you’d like to dive into more examples or explore how specific local libraries (even in Hawaii) are evolving, I’d be happy to dig deeper.

JS: I notice that the libraries you cite are clinging desperately to their geographical identity and place in a world of information that is rapidly going digital and AI. Why this devotion to brick and mortar? Are there any striking examples of libraries that have abandoned their physical presence for a digital one? Again, please focus as much as possible on specific examples and individuals.

ChatGPT: A small number of libraries in the U.S. and internationally have truly abandoned traditional bricks-and-mortar models in favor of being entirely—or nearly entirely—digital. These are notable for prioritizing digital access even as they include limited or no physical book collections.

🏛️ All‑Digital Public Libraries

BiblioTech → Bexar County, Texas (USA)

• Often cited as the first all‑digital public library system in the U.S., BiblioTech opened its first branch in September 2013. It offers no printed books—instead lending e‑readers, tablets, and providing access to e‑books, audiobooks, educational databases, and digital learning tools (WIRED, Wikipedia).
• Initiated by Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff, its goal was to bridge the digital divide in underserved communities. Patrons borrow preloaded devices or download content to personal devices. Although housed in a physical location, the space functions as a tech hub rather than a traditional library (cilip.org.uk).
• A model that has drawn both praise and criticism—and rare in its near-total embrace of digital resources.

However, similar experiments (e.g. in Tucson‑Pima, AZ and Newport Beach, CA) were eventually reversed following patron backlash demanding print books (TIME).

🎓 Academic Libraries That Went Truly Digital

William H. Welch Medical Library → Johns Hopkins University

• Closed its physical building in 2012, choosing to operate purely online. Declining foot traffic and print circulation, coupled with rising digital use, prompted the shift. Director Nancy Roderer emphasized that the move suited their institutional needs—even while acknowledging it wouldn’t apply across all libraries (Wikipedia).

Florida Polytechnic University Library

• Designed as a bookless library from its inception, serving a STEM-focused student body. The Director of Libraries (Kathryn Miller) stated that it was essential to offer the information digitally, reflecting the institution’s mission of learning and application rather than printed collections (Wikipedia).

William Jewell College (Liberty, Missouri)

• Reimagined its campus library into a learning commons, where the print collection was almost entirely replaced by digital resources, integrated into a space for collaboration and study (Wikipedia).

These academic examples were driven less by ideology and more by usage data, cost structure, and mission alignment.

🌐 Global Digital‑Only and Distributed Platforms

Open Library / Internet Archive

• Founded in 2006 by Aaron Swartz, Brewster Kahle, and others, Open Library aims to create “one web page for every book ever published.” It’s entirely digital—no physical locations—and is operated by the Internet Archive, making millions of public domain and out-of-print books accessible under a unified online catalog (Wikipedia).
• That said, it’s not a conventional library serving live patrons—it’s an online-only platform and archive, operating beyond geography.

eGranary Digital Library (WiderNet Project)

• Designed by Cliff Missen and Michael McNulty to serve low‑connectivity communities globally, eGranary provides offline collections—tens of millions of digital resources—hosted locally (e.g., on USB drives or local servers), with no reliance on a physical library building. It’s been deployed in schools, clinics, and universities across Africa, India, Papua New Guinea, and more (Wikipedia).

🔍 Why the Rare Devotion to Physical Space?

• In most communities, physical presence remains vital for technology access, human instruction, and social function. BiblioTech retains small physical facilities to accommodate digital training, internet access, and outreach—even though its collection is digital (cilip.org.uk).
• Historically, totally bookless branches (e.g., in Tucson) were phased out due to public demand for physical books—the human craving for print is still strong (TIME).
• Academic institutions often reserve print archives or special collections—even after transitioning most services online.
• Communities without strong digital infrastructure or where digital literacy is still developing rely heavily on physical spaces to ensure equity of access.

✅ Summary Table

Institution	Model	Physical Books?	Notable Individual
BiblioTech (Bexar County, Texas)	All‑digital public library	❌ None	Judge Nelson Wolff
Johns Hopkins Welch Medical Library	Academic «bookless» library	❌ None	Nancy Roderer
Florida Polytechnic University Library	Designed as digital-only	❌ None	Kathryn Miller
William Jewell College	Digital‑first learning commons	Mostly no	College leadership
Open Library / Internet Archive	Global online archive	🏛️ None	Brewster Kahle, Aaron Swartz
eGranary Digital Library	Offline digital resource	🏛️ None	Cliff Missen

📌 Final Thoughts

• Fully digital libraries—with little or no physical collections—are exceedingly rare. Most models still retain at least minimal physical infrastructure or staff presence to ensure access and support.
• Where digital-only models have succeeded (especially in academic or global contexts), it’s been due to clear alignment with mission, user needs, technology access patterns, and in some cases founder visionaries (like Nancy Roderer, Nelson Wolff, and Cliff Missen).
• The broader trend is one of hybrid innovation: rather than abandoning physical roots entirely, many libraries are transforming their spaces to focus on technology, human support, programming, and digital literacy.

If you’d like a deep dive into one of these libraries—or want to explore similar transformations in Hawaii or other locales—I’d be happy to go further.

JS: Are statistics determining the fates and trajectories of libraries? Are the numbers declining for: funding, usage, ROI, staffing, physical structures, overall value in the public’s and government’s eyes?

ChatGPT: Here’s a snapshot of national trends shaping the fate and trajectory of libraries across the U.S.:

📉 Funding & Federal Support

• In 2025, the Trump administration issued an executive order to dismantle the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), triggering immediate funding freezes and raising uncertainty for federal grants. This action disproportionately impacted rural and underserved communities. States including Maine, Mississippi, and South Dakota have already laid off staff, suspended interlibrary loan programs, or shut buildings due to the loss of IMLS grants. (TIME)
• Library advocates estimate that if federal funding disappears, hundreds of small and rural libraries may be forced to close—all while public officials fail to step in with consistent support. (Reddit)

📊 Usage & Program Trends

• Over the past decade, circulation has declined from 9.94 items per capita (2012) to around 8.07 per capita today. (Library Journal)
• Yet in 2022, many libraries saw a 7.5% uptick in circulation compared to 2021, signaling resilience after pandemic-related dips. (Library Journal)
• Program attendance is expanding: libraries now host 6 million programs annually with 125 million attendees—a growth of 84% since 2009. (WordsRated)

💸 Funding Sufficiency & ROI

• Funding at municipal, state, and federal levels has failed to keep pace with rising costs—creating an estimated $4.38 billion gap based on government appropriations alone. Libraries rely heavily on grants, donations, and fees to sustain operations. (WordsRated)
• Yet multiple ROI studies show libraries deliver strong community value:
  • Pennsylvania: $5.50 return for every $1 invested, equating to $1.34 billion in annual economic benefits. (palibraries.org)
  • Colorado: $5 return per $1 spent, and in some rural counties ROI exceeded $30 per dollar. (lrs.org)

👥 Staffing, Hours & Infrastructure

• Staffing comprises approximately 60–89% of operating budgets, and while staff wages have increased modestly (median FTE around $73K), many libraries reported overall staff cuts or unfilled vacancies due to budget constraints. (Library Journal)
• Post-pandemic, library hours rebounded to 49.5 hours/week on average (compared to a low of ~36.4 in 2020), nearly matching the 52.8 hour/week pre‑pandemic average. (Library Journal)

💬 Public & Institutional Perception

• According to earlier Pew data, ~90% of Americans believe closing their local public library would have a major impact on their community—and ~95% affirm libraries help people succeed and improve quality of life. Still, ~52% also feel they personally need libraries less than before, since they can find information online. (Pew Research Center)
• Recent opinion pieces express urgency:
  • Connecticut’s Scoville Memorial Library cited risks to students, seniors, and job-seekers if federal funding disappears. (CT Insider)
  • Advocacy voices warn IMLS cuts imperil vital services like early literacy, broadband, ESL programs, telehealth, STEM learning, and small business support, particularly in rural areas. (wired.com)

✅ Summary: Current Trajectory by Metric

Metric	Trend
Funding	Under strain; federal support frozen; state/city support uneven
Usage (physical circulation)	Gradual long-term decline; modest rebound post-pandemic
Program engagement	Rapid growth in attendance and number of events
ROI	Strong—returns $5 for every $1 invested (varies by region)
Staffing	Costs high portion of budget; positions often frozen or cut
Hours/Hours Open	Nearly returned to pre-pandemic levels
Public perception	Still valued; but ambivalent reliance on digital alternatives

🎯 Key Takeaway

Libraries remain valued institutions delivering significant return on investment—but they face headwinds: shrinking traditional circulation, underfunding, and staffing challenges. At the same time, program offerings and community engagement are expanding, while ROI and public sentiment overall remain solid. But many libraries now depend on external grants and philanthropic support to stay afloat.

Would you like a deeper look at trends in a specific state or institution, or analysis of how school or academic libraries compare? I can certainly dive further.

JS: Am I correct in assuming that the (vast?) majority of vocal supporters of libraries are the elderly or those who equate the value of libraries as primarily well-lit and safe social hubs for engaging with information?

ChatGPT: You’re touching on a nuanced and evolving dynamic. While older adults do form a visible and passionate contingent of library supporters, the demographic landscape of library users and advocates is more diverse than it might appear. Here’s a breakdown based on survey data, usage trends, and advocacy patterns:

👵👴 Older Adults as Vocal Supporters: A Real But Partial Picture

✔ True:

• Older adults (especially retirees) tend to be high-frequency users of physical library spaces and more vocal in civic engagement:
  • They attend book clubs, genealogy programs, ESL tutoring, and technology workshops.
  • They write letters to editors, call legislators, and show up at budget hearings.
• Libraries serve as accessible, safe, and welcoming public spaces, especially important to those on fixed incomes or without home internet.
• During pandemic reopenings, seniors were among the most anxious to return to in-person library services, including quiet reading rooms and in-person librarianship.

❌ But Not the Whole Story:

• Studies show that millennials and Gen Z are also strong users of libraries—just in very different ways:
  • According to Pew Research (2016), millennials were the most likely age group to use public libraries—more than Gen X, Boomers, or Silent Generation.
  • Their usage skews toward digital resources, Wi-Fi and study space, and technology/maker programs rather than borrowing books.

📊 What the Data Says About Who Uses & Values Libraries

🔹 Pew Research (2016 & 2021):

• Millennials (ages 23–38 at the time) had the highest likelihood of visiting a library in the past year (53%).
• 65% of Gen Z teens (13–17) said that libraries helped them with school, and 70% said libraries were “a nice, quiet place to hang out.”
• Older adults (65+) were less likely to visit, but more likely to see the library as essential to the community.

🔹 ALA (2023 Reports):

• Program attendance for youth coding camps, job reskilling, and college prep is growing fastest among young adults and families.
• LGBTQ+ youth and neurodivergent patrons increasingly identify libraries as inclusive spaces—particularly important in states with growing censorship or surveillance of schools.

🏛️ Libraries as “Third Places”

You’re right that libraries are often praised as “third places”—safe, inclusive public settings outside home and work. This social and civic function appeals to:

• Older adults seeking routine, community, and information access.
• Teens and young adults needing stable environments for studying, gaming, or socializing.
• Homeless populations, immigrants, and underemployed adults who rely on libraries for internet access, warmth, and support services.

The praise of libraries as well-lit, safe spaces often reflects intergenerational needs, not just senior nostalgia.

🗣️ Who Advocates Loudest?

• Retirees and librarians themselves are highly vocal in traditional civic forums (city council, letters to editor).
• Younger generations tend to advocate via:
  • Social media (e.g. #SaveOurLibraries, BookTok library trends)
  • Petitions against book bans
  • Digital activism tied to equity, censorship, and open access (e.g., opposition to OverDrive closures or Hoopla cuts)

✅ Summary

Group	Key Library Usage	Vocal Advocacy Style
Older Adults	In-person browsing, events, local news	Council meetings, letters, personal testimony
Millennials	Study/workspace, digital lending	Blogs, tweets, online reviews
Gen Z	Wi-Fi, makerspaces, gaming, study aid	Social media activism, digital storytelling
Marginalized groups	Safety, inclusion, services	Issue-specific petitions, alliances with ACLU

🔍 Bottom Line

Yes, older adults are often the most vocal defenders in public discourse about libraries, and they emphasize libraries’ role as trusted, civic, social spaces. But younger users also rely on and value libraries deeply, just through more digital and less visible channels. The danger is that if policy and funding decisions focus only on the older users’ vision, libraries may miss opportunities to evolve and serve their full demographic reach.

Would you like a profile of emerging Gen Z or millennial library leaders, or examples of how advocacy is shifting among younger communities?

JS: In the big picture, compare the overall abundance and accessibility of, search for, and retrieval of information in the cyber/digital world versus the physical libraries. What is the emerging picture? Do libraries still remain relevant when the focus is on information value?

ChatGPT: This is a profound and timely question. At the heart of it is this: Do physical libraries still matter when the digital world appears to offer infinite, immediate, and often free access to information?

Let’s compare the cyber/digital realm and physical libraries across key dimensions—and then assess the emerging big picture of information value.

🧭 COMPARISON: Cyber/Digital World vs. Physical Libraries

Dimension	Cyber/Digital World	Physical Libraries
Volume of Information	Vast and exponential (zettabytes, growing daily)	Finite and curated
Speed & Convenience	Instantaneous, 24/7 access globally	Limited by hours, location, human availability
Accessibility (technical)	Requires devices, literacy, connectivity	Accessible for walk-ins, supports non-tech-savvy users
Accessibility (equity)	Digital divide persists—rural, poor, elderly underserved	Libraries bridge this divide with public computers & help
Search & Retrieval	Algorithmic, fast, but opaque and personalized	Human-assisted, slower, but often more reliable
Quality Control	Low signal-to-noise ratio; misinformation prevalent	High curation, editorial control, peer-reviewed sources
Cost to User	Often “free,” but paid via attention, ads, or data	Truly free (public good), no strings attached
Privacy	Poor—tracked, profiled, monetized	Strong ethical standards, no user data sold or shared
Support for Deep Inquiry	Fragmented, shallow, distracting	Encourages sustained attention and focus
Learning & Literacy Support	Self-directed, inconsistent	Staff provide structured help, workshops, materials
Community Function	Isolating, transactional	Human presence, physical space, shared experience

📉 If Measured Purely by Speed, Volume, and Ease…

The cyber/digital world dominates:

• Google, ChatGPT, YouTube, JSTOR, Wikipedia, and specialized databases offer far greater access to more timely and diverse content than any single library.
• For users who are digitally fluent and well-resourced, the internet has replaced many core functions of libraries.

🧠 BUT If the Focus Is on Information Value…

Information is not valuable merely because it exists. It becomes valuable when it is:

• Credible
• Contextualized
• Understood
• Connected to a larger purpose

And here, libraries (and librarians) still matter deeply:

✔ Libraries offer structured, intentional information environments.

• Not everything is algorithmically surfaced based on clicks or engagement. Instead, materials are organized by human logic (Dewey, LC classification), with metadata, critical review, and pedagogical design.

✔ Libraries support information literacy and discernment, not just access.

• As AI-generated and manipulated content floods the web, people need help to distinguish truth from fiction. Libraries are increasingly offering media literacy, AI literacy, and research skills training.

✔ Libraries protect intellectual freedom and privacy.

• No targeted ads. No echo chambers. No political profiling. No surveillance capitalism. Libraries uphold first principles of democratic access.

✔ Libraries empower marginalized users.

• In many U.S. towns, the library is the only place to apply for a job, file for government aid, or read uncensored books.
• Libraries offer ADA accessibility, multilingual resources, safe spaces for youth, and person-to-person support rarely matched by digital platforms.

📈 Emerging Picture: Not Redundancy, But Realignment

• Libraries are no longer the sole gatekeepers of information. That era is gone.
• They are evolving into interpreters, facilitators, and defenders of valuable information—especially amid AI-driven noise, disinformation, and data overload.
• Their value lies not in volume, but in value-added mediation: context, credibility, and care.

🔮 Strategic Roles Libraries Are Taking On in the AI Era

1. AI Literacy Hubs – Helping people understand and evaluate AI tools (e.g. San José State’s AI librarian).
2. Digital Equity Providers – Offering broadband, tech lending, and support to low-access communities.
3. Curators of Trustworthy Content – Maintaining access to government records, scientific archives, local newspapers, rare books.
4. Community Anchors – Hosting conversations, debates, workshops, and civic programming.

✅ Final Assessment: Are Libraries Still Relevant?

If “relevance” means raw access to information, digital tools are winning.

But if it means trusted guidance, equity, community engagement, and public values, libraries remain essential—and perhaps more so than ever in the age of AI and algorithmic misinformation.

Physical libraries aren’t obsolete—they’re becoming countercultural havens for intentional, equitable, and human-centered access to knowledge.

Would you like this written up as a short essay or visualized as an infographic or timeline of library evolution?

JS: Mahalo, ChatGPT. I sense, on your part, a liberal bias toward supporting libraries, but I may be wrong. Let me know what you think re my “sense.”

ChatGPT: That’s a thoughtful observation, and I appreciate your openness in raising it.

I aim to provide a balanced, evidence-based, and critical perspective rather than promoting any ideological position. That said, the tone may seem more supportive of libraries because most data and expert commentary—even from conservative or centrist sources—tend to highlight libraries as valuable public institutions, especially in terms of return on investment, educational access, and equity.

However, there is a legitimate debate to be had:

• Critics argue that some libraries have overextended their missions, diluted their focus on literacy, or failed to adapt rapidly enough to the digital age.
• Others question whether physical infrastructure and staffing models are sustainable in an AI-dominated economy.
• And some view certain library programs as entangled in ideological or cultural flashpoints—e.g., book bans, drag story hours, or public funding choices.

I try to surface those angles when relevant, but I also take care not to equate fringe critiques with evidence-based consensus. If it ever feels like I’m favoring one viewpoint too heavily, please feel free to call it out—I’ll welcome the correction and gladly offer a more critical lens.

Would you like to explore some of the more pointed critiques or counterarguments regarding library relevance or cost-effectiveness in 2025?

JS: Mahalo for your openness to and patience for clarifying questions. Let me pull away from this chat for a while to process the information and perspectives I’m receiving. A hui hou.

ChatGPT: You’re very welcome, James. Your questions have been insightful and grounded, and I appreciate the thoughtful direction you’re bringing to this exploration. Take all the time you need—I’ll be here when you’re ready to dive back in. A hui hou — until we meet again.

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