Back to basics: A-literacy, the Boolean gene, convergence and the long tail

Purpose - Based on a paper given at the Fiesole Retreat held in Lund in July 2006. This article seeks to explore issues on the future relevance of libraries in a world dominated by the web and how far "off-web" resources will have any relevance to users.Design methodology approach - The article combines narrative and analysis.Findings - Libraries are slow to respond to external competitors and cultural changes, but their own practices paradoxically leave them well equipped to make such responses.Originality value - Challenges libraries to build on existing experience and skills in the Web 2.0 world.