First of all, I find it interesting that you say “the library” rather than “libraries.” I read “the library” as some kind of monolithic institution, implying that all libraries have enough in common that we can generalize about them all. I prefer to use the more general “libraries,” because I can see how vastly different my childhood public library is from, say, the digital collections at Harvard.

And it’s precisely those differences that keep libraries relevant. Yes, individual libraries that fail to adapt to the changing information needs of their populations may be losing their relevance. But to say that All libraries are losing their relevance seems a bit shortsighted to me. Many library users can still meet all of their needs at a local public library just by checking out books. Many library users have needs that extend to online resources and remote reference. Many young adult users have needs that include social networking and multimedia creation and sharing. *All* of these needs can be met by libraries (and librarians!) who understand their populations and work for and with them.