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Florida Matters Re-Broadcast: Libraries In The 21st Century

There was a time when the only place to get a book was to buy it from a store or borrow it from a library.

Now in two clicks we can read it on an iPad. What’s the future role of libraries in today’s digital landscape?

This week on Florida Matters we're taking another listen to our discussion about what might be in store for the future of libraries.

Our guests include:

Credit USF Libraries

Todd Chavez, Dean of Libraries for the University of South Florida.

Credit Manatee County Public Libraries

Ava Edhe, Services Manager for Manatee County Public Libraries. Edhe was named 2017 Librarian of the Year by the Florida Library Association.

Credit Mark Y. Herring/Winthrop University

Mark Y. Herring, Dean of Library Services for Winthrop University and author of the book “Are Libraries Obsolete?: An Argument for Relevance in the Digital Age.”

We’ll also take a brief look into the past.

carnegie_libraries_for_web.mp3
Click here to listen to the story about Palmetto's Carnegie Library.

Industrialist Andrew Carnegie made a fortune in the steel industry and then gave it away to charity, including building a public library system throughout the country. From 1886-1919, Carnegie’s donations paid for 1,679 libraries, including 10 in Florida. Florida Matters host Robin Sussingham recently took a tour of a library in Palmetto, one of six Carnegie libraries still operating in the state.

I cover health care for WUSF and the statewide journalism collaborative Health News Florida. I’m passionate about highlighting community efforts to improve the quality of care in our state and make it more accessible to all Floridians. I’m also committed to holding those in power accountable when they fail to prioritize the health needs of the people they serve.
Robin Sussingham was Senior Editor at WUSF until September 2020.
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