2011-06-24T14:03:00.000-07:00

In our day in age, most everything is done via the Internet. We like to be able to access almost everything we need from our phone or home computer. And while we are able to do this with a few flicks of a finger, a different but still valuable source is withering in our society. For decades, the library has not only been a source of information, but also a kind of museum which preserves records and events from the past. Why does this institution appear to be dying? As stated before, people find it easier to get what they want by staying at home and that libraries are useless to the public; they are not worth the cost that it takes to run them on the taxpayers’ dime.

Advanced Technology

When we think of the local library, sometimes a run-down building with only a handful of books to choose from comes to mind. However with the advancement of technology, libraries have taken the opportunity to make its content and other services more available to a wider circle of users. Using the internet, libraries have been able to share not only its entire catalog online, but aid many patrons in research by making databases available to those who hold accounts at the library. And help is not restricted to books and other reading material. Many libraries host free events which not only provide entertainment, but help in other areas of life. And as for its online capabilities, libraries are never idle. In an effort to reach out and connect with as many people as possible, blogs, forums, and other social networking application can be found on library websites. These tools can be used to discuss books, learn new ways of doing things, and asking questions of librarians or others on the site.

Public Service or Blemish?

While many would say that one could use most of these features from their home, it can also be argued that the actual library is the centralized location of knowledge and expertise. People can boast about being able to find information on different websites, but the library is where it can all be found. This is where the experts work. They know where to look when the patron wants to find something. They know how to find answers and explain them to you. They want to help you. And not only are they helping patrons find answers to questions, they are preserving and promoting a history which they have safe-guarded for decades.

After seeing some of the ways in which libraries aid the public, it is shocking to think that some are ready to leave this institution “in the stacks” and limit their ways of accessing data to only web searches. Instead of the flourishing environments which libraries are creating for the community, they are still viewed by many as decrepit and out-dated buildings with aisles upon aisles of dusty and out-dated books. These are the people who are calling for libraries to be financed by patrons and not by taxpayers as a whole. They do not believe that libraries are not causes worthy enough to be supported by the public like fire and police departments. We would never dream of getting rid of these two spheres of our society. Likewise, we should not give up on the value and impact libraries have upon our daily lives.

In Praise of Books