THE EMERGENCE OF POST-MODERN LIBRARIES: FROM SCROLLS TO SCREENS

The essence of this paper is to examine the progress of information storage resources from stones, rocks, tablets and scrolls to screens. As an explanatory paper with some classic illustrations in reservation and transmission of knowledge, the paper notes that changes in human society are ubiquitous and pervasive; affecting all facets of human endeavor. The paper also notes that the most propelling factor in these changes is science and technology. It is the catalyst that brought about the changes; in other words, it is science and technology that define and continue to define social realities. Thus in the past, stones, rocks, and later scrolls were accepted as valid and practical means of preserving and transmitting knowledge. By the 15th century, when printing machines were invented, it was seen as a great progress in human society. In this contemporary era, life and human activities cannot be imagined without digital programme (hardware and software). The paper concludes that the progress in science and technology is pervasive and that the emergence of digital or post-modern libraries is to make learning, teaching, and transmission of knowledge and preservation of knowledge easier, simpler, and more convenient. To keep pace with other nations of the world, the paper suggests that scholarships should be awarded to Nigerians to study robotic engineering, machine learning, and artificial intelligence.