Melville predicts the future?

"A library's function is to give the public in the quickest and cheapest way information, inspiration, and recreation. If a better way than the book can be found, we should use it."
Melville Dewey (1851-1931)
American Librarian and Educator

Whilst completing my cataloging timeline assignment, I came across a quote that stayed with me as we have been talking about the use of technology in libraries. I think Melville Dewey was thinking ahead here, as he is describing a library as a place that simply preserves, redistributes and supplies information in any form. Finding information via the internet, whether it be through Google or a more specific database, in today's world is often the quickest and cheapest way of finding information of any kind. Previously, information was sought in books, which the library was designed to cater for by having shelves to house these books. Though now computers provide the internet to seek information, libraries should definitely alter their space to hold these devices. This is not to say that books are totally a thing of the past, and should be banned from libraries (imagine that!) though I think there should be the opportunity for patrons to search for information in a number of ways as libraries are about freedom (I think). 

As I visit libraries regularly, I have noticed that they are accommodating for new technology, but I think it is vital that there are staff that know how to use these things (web 2.0/23 things) and need to be willing to teach patrons (hold workshops and tutorials) and not simply have them there for the sake of it as some older libraries tend to do. Libraries shouldn't be getting held up on the idea that books are the only way to get information (or even still be entertained) as this will lose patrons and cause the much feared and anticipated death of libraries. If librarians change the way they look at libraries, and what they are really used for rather than the aesthetic (spiral staircases and antique book cases) then there is no reason for the library to fade away, rather, it will be revamped and return in a different form, though still provide pretty much the same service.