ACRL  Publications November 2007 Editorial

The year is 2020, and you are researching the history of the Republic of Tehran.  Formed in 2012 from the countries formerly known as Iran, Afghanistan, and Kuwait, along with Shiat-Ali—the Shiite portion of predissolution Iraq—the new nation has recently established economic partnerships with the European Union, the equally young Confederation of Central and West Africa, and the stunningly successful Unified Republic of Korea, possessor of the world’s largest economy.

As usual, you begin your search with Omni, recently approved by I-NISO as the default global information search tool.  Although Omni’s direct biometric access gateway is faster, you prefer the old-fashioned VOCAL interface (vernacular online criteria announcement link).  Your greeting, ”Hello, Jason,” brings an instant response from your PDUD (personalized digital utility device): “Jason here.  What can I do for you today?”

Glancing at the cheerful visage on your wrist, you pose your request.  “Thanks, Jason.  Where can I find reliable information about the recent history of the Republic of Tehran?  Let’s do books first.”  “Done,” Jason responds.  “The titles with the green icon are from the core list; all but two of these are included in the latest edition of Resources for Academic and Research Libraries.  The two exceptions aren’t available in English yet; you’ll need to use the translator when reading them.  Shall I get the full text for you, or just the researcher’s advisory record?”  “Thanks, Jason. The records will do for now.”

A few seconds later, you are browsing through a display containing a brief bibliographic record, a cover image, complete front matter, a pop-up index display, and full text of all available reviews for each of the thirty-three titles on Jason’ core list.  A quick look suggests there are several titles you would like to access online.  You ask Jason to check out an electronic copy of each via your campus library.

In addition, you determine that three of the titles—two of which have Choice reviews—are worth further investigation.  “Please show me full text for titles 2, 7, and 18, Jason.”  Ten minutes later, you know you would like to read two of these books in their entirety, Kazmir Petrodollar’s Courting Tehran: Where West Meets Middle East, and J. W. Gadabout’s Unanticipated Consequences: The Origins of the Republic of Tehran.  Since print is your preferred mode for extended reading, you are delighted to see that a print copy of Courting Tehran is already available at your campus library.  You check it out, requesting normal (eight-hour) delivery to your campus office.

Your library does not currently have a print copy of the Gadabout book, but a quick command remedies the situation.  “Hi Jason, make a print copy of the Gadabout book, charge it to my Persona card, and deliver it to my office.  Please arrange for delivery by Friday.  Thanks.”  Within seconds, the library’s Instant Print machine, having cleared rights and charged the cost to your credit card, begins downloading, printing, and binding a copy of the Gadabout.  Less than two minutes later, it emerges from the output bin, tagged for campus delivery.

A fantasy?  Definitely.  A possibility?  Maybe.  We’ll see, dear reader.  Even publishers have dreams.—IER