Monumental Library Buildings in the Internet Era: The future of public libraries

This research examines the phenomena of building monumental library buildings, which began in the 1990s, parallel to the development of computer technology, digital storage, telecommunications, Internet and sophisticated search engines. The research included interviews with futurists, sociologists, architects, urban planners and experts from the fields of information and library science. Also, 24 directors of new and large libraries in Israel and the Western world completed a questionnaire. This research is a wide, interdisciplinary study that considers social aspects, architectural structures, the human need to monumentalize, personal and political interests, organizational survival and futurism. Primarily, this research focuses on the future of public libraries in a world that is changing rapidly.