Librarians talk about technology all the time, because we're interested in the dissemination of information. We want to know how to use things like Google, Twitter, Second Life, and Facebook to reach people and to make the flow of information easier and richer. And in conferences we always reach this nearly hysterical climax in at least one discussion in which it really does seem like we're all going to have feeds planted in our brains and that the global information world will dominate every aspect of existence. Fine, fine, maybe that's so. In the midst of this, there is always discussion of the Death of the Library. There's a prediction circulating out there that libraries will be extinct by 2019. I don't believe it, and here's why. There are three distinct types of services the library offers (more actually, but three for my present argument):
1. Information Dissemination--This is what everyone's considering when they become hysterical about the speed of technological innovation. Librarians will assure you that the general public is lousy at evaluating the masses of information made available by the new technology, so libraries are still necessary to help people navigate through their information. Sure. I'm good with that. More importantly to me, though, is that there is the second service.
2. Book Provision--Libraries have books. They have print books. They have books for pleasure readers. I don't care what Bill Gates says, the majority of book lovers who read for pleasure are NOT going to do their reading online. Print books always work, they're cheap, they don't require a power source, they don't have to be powered down during airplane take-offs, but more importantly, people love them in their current form. They smell good. They feel good. Another faction says that even if print books stick around, libraries aren't going to be the way to go in the future, because readers can find books so inexpensively on eBay an Alibris. It's true that books are available quick and cheap from online book vendors, but not everyone feels compelled to OWN. Libraries are green and anti-consumerism in their approach to book buying. Some of us care very much about that, so I'm saying libraries will stay relevant for that reason. As much as the death of reading is bemoaned, book publishing continues to rise. Somebody's readin'. I doubt that the people who predict the extinction of libraries are pleasure readers or are at all familiar with public libraries, especially with the third service.
3. Community Space--Libraries are important as community centers. It is important to have spaces in society that are free and open. Physical locations. Doesn't matter if you can fulfill every information need online (and a lot of society still can't, having no computer access and no computer skills), people still want community centers, story times, summer reading programs. We got an angry letter a year or two ago at our library, because someone was there in the summer and thought it was too noisy. It is a noisy place in a lot of areas, because the community uses it in huge numbers. It's an important place to the community.
And there is more than you ever wanted to know about current library issues. If you chat with Bill Gates, now you can tell him why he's wrong.
7 comments:
The library is one of my favorite places. I do not believe we will ever get rid of them. Just like schools, libraries will be around for a long time. Watch out Bill Gates; you will be wrong at least ONCE in your life!
I love this post and completely agree with it. I will always use the library because I love to read books--I love to hold them in my hands and turn the pages. Also I'm not rich so it is a great resource for me: I get to try out alot of books for free (some I might not normally read) and then I might go and buy the really great ones in book form! Bill Gates is so wrong and I am happily doing my part to prove it to him.
Amen!
When televisions came on the scene, everyone predicted the demise of radio. Well, here we are decades later, and with iPods and new media all over the place, the new jeremiad is over the certain death of radio. Here's the curious thing: radio listening trends have not changed much at all, even with iPods. It's rare that serviceable technologies disappear. The basic concept of we call "road" has not yet been eclipsed by something superior. I often feel that the simpler and more direct the concept, the longer its life will be. Marmot Man
Yep, no desire to own every book I read. My brother is carefully passing on the library-loving torch to the extent that the question "Do you want to go to the library?" is followed by an extensive three-year old's victory dance accompanied by loud YEAH!s.
Sorry this comment is so late.
I meant to point you to this blog entry that I thought went really well with your post.
http://wellreadlife.typepad.com/my_weblog/2008/02/book-exchange-i.html
There have been two additional entries, I believe.
I've really enjoyed reading your blog.
Hi Aurelia! That's a great post. Thanks for pointing me to it.
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