This article seeks to promote a critical perspective on the present conceptualization of library management and the problems posed by technology. More specifically, it addresses the challenges faced by library administrators in relation to computing technologies. Through the adoption of Ursula Franklin's view of technology as “practice”, the article contrasts the practice of holistic and prescriptive technologies in library contexts. It also addresses the transformations of librarianship and the increasing adoption of prescriptive technological models. To exemplify the ongoing destruction of traditional librarianship, the three practices that comprise the fundamentals of librarianship are analyzed, namely, cataloging, collection development, and reference work.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.