The term ‘new horizons’ has a hopeful and anticipated ring to it. When you look out at the horizon, there’s a certain element of discovery, unknown and adventure. The same can hold true for libraries and envisioning and remodeling their trends, programs and services.

Some of the articles to read in this module I found fascinating and intriguing. To start, the article about the Prado museum was really cool and interesting. I love looking at and exploring paintings and art museums. This experience reminded me of visiting the National Gallery of Art in D.C. with my sister and her family last summer. It was a very inspiring and special experience. So, I had never heard of touch friendly paintings for the visually impaired. It’s done through “a chemical process involving ultraviolet light and special ink resulted in a few millimeters of added volume” (Halliday, 2015). I found this to be such a great idea and ultimately an inclusive way for others to experience an art gallery.

Secondly, the other topic and article I found to be interesting was ‘Growing up with Alexa’. This has become more of a common phenomenon of technology and AI services at our fingertips and influencing our behaviors and interactions with these devices in our everyday lives and homes. The same sister and family I visited last summer also has an Alexa and have had for a number of years. They are accustomed and used to it, and I am not. It was interesting to witness some of the interactions with it from my sister, brother-in-law, nieces and nephews. These would include asking Alexa clarifying questions based on a topic we were talking about, basic facts or the weather, or even as a type of game that I saw my niece and nephew do and laughing at the answers coming back at them.

I found this to be perhaps a common and typical display of interaction between them and their Alexa, yet for me it felt rather foreign. It only ever so slightly reminded me when I was growing up the magic 8 ball, though it couldn’t talk, it would give back answers.

There are benefits and things to be learned with emerging technologies- such as AI, ChatGPT and Alexa and similar devices. I think the main question is how and why will they be used in libraries, for what purpose or even outside the realm of library services, or will it ultimately decrease the interest and need for library services? These are interesting discussions to have that do not have one simple answer, and for that I think it makes ‘new horizons’ even more of an appeal.