Miguel Figueroa heads the American Library Association Center for the Future of Libraries
Growing up in South Memphis, I spent countless hours at a tiny storefront branch library right around the corner from my home. I loved to read and the place was jammed with books. Perfect!
But libraries today are as likely to be occupied by people studying for their GED, applying for jobs, figuring out small business startup procedures, and watching movies on computers as they are with people discovering new books to read.
It makes for a complex set of services and a confusing future.
Miguel Figueroa is trying to figure out what that future looks like. Miguel heads the American Library Association Center for the Future of Libraries. The center promotes innovative and future-oriented thinking to position libraries for long-term sustainability and success.