Information technology monopolies: implications for library managers

Librarians are asked to downsize, economize and streamline, while they are also, simultaneously, expected to provide the fastest, latest and most expensive hardware and software so as to make the information marketplace accessible to their patrons. What most librarians have not realized, however, is that they are also asked, whether they like it or not, to bet on which of the various technologies will supercede the others. Understanding the corporate environment in which this future is decided is crucial if librarians are to be successful in meeting all these expectations. The author explores library‐related implications of the US Department of Justice’s investigations into the operations of Microsoft and Intel and suggests that developing a broader understanding of information technology marketing is crucial to the short‐ and long‐term future of libraries.