Next generation libraries

Well the OCLC Next Space Newsletter was mind blowing,absolutely amazing.I was particularly impressed by the rural school.The shared universal catalogue makes our Elgar pretty small cheese,but I guess you have to start somewhere.
I can't see this service being provided by libraries and librarians as we know them.This is not the kind of thing which could be funded by rates.The danger is that Big Business will be involved using researchers and it may end up a user-pays system becoming elitist.I often imagine Andrew Carnegie,turning in his grave,but this would have him tossong also.