Abstract：Through the looking glassenvisioning new library technologiespeople tracking technologies One of the core functions of many libraries is to be a physical space that serves the needs of its patronsLibraries are places where people come to locateuse and borrow resourcesboth physical and digitalLibraries are spaces where people come to access and learn about the technology that is needed to absorb and create informationLibraries are places where members of a community gather to studyto organizeto discuss or for any number of other reasonsAs stewards of these spaceslibraries have to make decisions about how to best allocate their resources within themThis column will explore emerging trends in people-tracking technologyThis column will provide an overview of current and future uses of technologiesincluding infrared beamsthermal imagingstructured lightvideoand mobile device trackingIt will situate these technologies in the context of emerging applicationssuch as cashierless storesThese technologies allow libraries and to closely monitor how their space is being usedwhich ideally can allow them to make informed choices that better configure and staff their spaceLibrary AutomationBy using these technologieslibraries can automatically track and analyze the use of spaceConsulting ServiceBy analyzing peoples behavior in the libraryit can provide suggestions on how to use library resources bestRetrieval and IndexingAlthough this article does not clearly mention itpattern recognition technology can be used to optimize the retrieval and index of resourcesThese technologiessuch as infrared beamthermal imagingstructured lightvideo and mobile device trackingare mainly used to track and monitor the location and behavior of people in the spacewhich is part of the pattern recognitionMode recognition involves identification and classification patterns or structures from data