The role of the library in a world shaped by artificial intelligence and digital culture, comes under the microscope in a new publication.

The new book by Dr Nathan Jones, from Lancaster University’s School of Arts, and Dr Sam Skinner (Oxford Brookes University) rethinks what a library might be in the future.

Across essays, artworks, and conversations, BiblioTech traces how the next phase in the life of the library will reflect every aspect of contemporary life — from mental health and automation to social justice and climate change.

The book imagines libraries as part of a living, civic and creative system for the 21st century, evolving from its traditional role as a storehouse of knowledge.

Published by Torque Editions, BiblioTech gathers an international group of artists, writers, and researchers to explore how reading, writing, and publishing are being reshaped by new technologies, and features a substantive introductory essay by Drs Jones and Skinner.

Indicative of the Torque Editions practice-based and interdisciplinary approach, one of the chapters has also been written by Joanne Fitzpatrick, the Open Book Futures Accessibility and Library Engagement Manager at Lancaster University Library.

Other contributors include Johanna Drucker, Federico Campagna, Wafaa Bilal, Rosa Menkman, Erica Scourti, Silvio Lorusso, Winnie Soon, Joana Chicau, Anna Barham, J.R. Carpenter, and Library Stack.

Reflecting on the work, Dr Jones said: “BiblioTech is a book about books, but it is also about the systems that sustain them — the architectures, technologies, and communities that will define how we think and share knowledge in the future.”

Described by Professor N. Katherine Hayles (Duke University, North Carolina) as ‘a visual/verbal feast... highly recommended for anyone interested in modern libraries and their transformations in the digital age’, the publication highlights how art can help reframe the politics and ethics of knowledge.

BiblioTech is available internationally through Torque Editions and Antennae books

PDF and Print Editions: https://torquetorque.net/publications/bibliotech-2/

Antenne Books: https://antennebooks.com/products/bibliotech-rereading-the-post-digital-library