The tumultuous twenties. Reflections on the role of libraries in the current information ecosystem and what (hopefully) is to come.

Abstract

This article aims to answer the issue of the necessity of libraries in the current information ecosystem, characterized by apparently boundless and individual access to information, and dominated by fragmentation and polarization, both phenomena in which social networks play an amplification role. It is therefore advocated that libraries, as institutions of knowledge mediation and structuring, are needed more than ever, albeit in partially different forms than traditional ones. Through a reflection on the concepts of complexity and horizontal and vertical culture, the article explores how libraries can contrast the criticalities of the current scenario, proposing a vision of the library as a dynamic process, highlighting its potential as a space for reflection and learning, and emphasizing the importance of a systemic and interdisciplinary approach to ensure its future relevance.