| Abstract: | Changes presented by cloud computing—shared computing services, applications, and storage available to end users via the Internet—have the potential to seriously alter how libraries provide services, not only remotely, but also within the physical library, specifically concerning challenges facing the typical desktop computing experience. Libraries have invested time and money in establishing an infrastructure to support a particular kind of computing experience, and advances in cloud computing may make this type of experience obsolete. One of the ways libraries have added value to their services has been by implementing library commons. A key component to these commons has been desktop computing. Cloud computing offers applications via a Web browser, meaning that the applications can run independently of the local hardware and operating system, calling into question the necessity of traditional desktop computing. As libraries have shown in the past, they have the capability to assess challenging situations and adapt to provide users a beneficial experience. |
