New Horizons
“We shape our own future, but we cannot do that if we sit back and simply watch. The library that is flexible, listens to its community, and changes to meet changing demand and demographics will be the library that succeeds, prospers, and pushes its mission out to the most citizens” (Casey & Savastinuk, 2007).
In this module, we turn our attention to what’s next—those technologies on the horizon that are beginning to shift how we live, learn, and connect. From artificial intelligence and immersive environments to voice assistants and smart ecosystems, the tools just over the threshold are already reshaping the information landscape. Libraries, as ever-evolving spaces of possibility, are uniquely positioned to explore and integrate these innovations with intention and heart.
Through selected readings—including recent Horizon Reports, the latest IFLA Trend Report, and exploratory media—students will reflect on how emerging technologies intersect with the values of the hyperlinked library: openness, transparency, participatory service, and deep engagement with users’ lives. This is not about adopting tech for tech’s sake—it’s about staying tuned to how these shifts can enhance human connection and help libraries stay relevant in a rapidly transforming world.
Students are encouraged to consider the implications of these trends within the context of their own practice and imagine how library services might evolve. How can we thoughtfully weave AI, ambient computing, or spatial computing into the fabric of our institutions? How do we balance innovation with empathy?
As we look ahead, this module serves as a space for curiosity and creativity—an invitation to dream, to explore, and to question what it means to serve our communities in a future that’s already arriving.
Lecture Recording
Explore the Horizon Report Library Edition
- New Media Consortium. (2017). NMC Horizon Report > 2017 Library Edition. (Note – this is the most recent library edition)
- New Media Consortium. (2015) NMC Horizon Report > 2015 Library Edition.
- New Media Consortium. (2014) NMC Horizon Report Library Edition > 2014.
Explore the Horizon Report
- EDUCAUSE Horizon Report (2025) Teaching & Learning Edition
- EDUCAUSE Horizon Report (2024). Teaching and Learning Edition
- EDUCAUSE Horizon Report (2023). HRHolisticStudentExperience
- EDUCAUSE Horizon Report (2023). Teaching and Learning Edition
- EDUCAUSE Horizon Report. (2022). 2022HRTeachinglearning
- EDUCAUSE Horizon Report. (2021). Information Security Edition
- EDUCAUSE Horizon Report. (2021). Teaching and Learning Edition
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Explore the Explore the IFLA Trend Report
International Federation of Library Associations (IFLA) (2024). IFLA Trends Report.
Things to Read (Pick & Choose What Interests You)
- The Science and Technology Correspondents of the Economist. (2021). What Next 22 Emerging Technologies to Watch in 2022.
- Anderson, J., Rainie, L., & Vogels, E. (2021). Experts Say the “New Normal” in 2025 Will be Far more Tech-Driven, Presenting More Big Challenges.
- Jackson, J.H. (2023). Chatting with ChatGPT: Deep Dive in Five with Tom Moriarty.
- Fister, B. and Head, A.J. (2023). ChatGPT is Reshaping Information Infrastructures.
- Furbee, B. (2023). Sit and Surf.
- Pappini, A. (2023). ChatGPT: A Library Perspective
- Paraschiv, P. (2017). Creating a Voice for the Library: Storytelling, Experience, and Play.
- Kelly, S. (2018). Growing up with Alexa: A child’s relationship with Amazon’s voice assistant
- McShane, M. (2018). Is Virtual Reality the Future of Field Trips?
- Terdiman, D. (2018). Here’s How People Say Google Home and Alexa Impact Their Lives.
- Griffey, J. (2019). AI and Machine Learning.
- Stephens, M. (2019). “Flash Briefing” in Wholehearted Librarianship, p. 87
- Raine, L. (2016). Puzzles Librarians need to Solve.
- Storyhouse (n.d.) Storyhouse/About
Things to View
