Libraries

Your task is not to forsee the future, but to enable it.

-Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

This image comes from the following source.

Because a lot of scholarly works are housed in libraries, what could this mean for the future of the library? According to Lisa M. Rose-Wiles work, Are Print Books Dead? An Investigation of Book Circulation at a Mid-Sized Academic Library, libraries are responding to the desire for electronic sources. “Many library directors expect to spend nearly half their book budget on electronic books within the next 5 years,” (Rose-Wiles, 133). She also noted that, “Miller (2011) reported a 93% increase in academic library e-book collections since 2010,” (Rose-Wiles, 133). As the video below shows, libraries are constantly changing and adapting in order to stay relevant in the digital age. This does mean the acquisition of more electronic works and putting more online but as Ingrid Parent describes, “not everything is on Google”. Students might not be checking out books in the same way that they once were but the academic library remains a strong resource.

In terms of student usage of e-books, printed works and textbooks are safe for now. “The ebrary 2011 global student e-book survey found that 54% of students said they used e-books, a modest increase compared to the 52% who reported using e-books in 2008. However, 47% still reported ‘never using e-books’, the most common reasons being ‘I do not know where to find them’ and ‘I prefer printed books,’” (Rose-Wiles, 133). In fact it would seem that on the whole most students remain in favor of textbooks. “While students recognize that e-books have advantages such as full-text search options, portability, flexibility, and off-campus access, most still prefer print textbooks to e-textbooks,” (Rose-Wiles, 134). Faculty members share similar feelings. For the most part it seems that print texts and e-books serve different purposes in this context. In terms of reading and conducting extensive research, students and researchers prefer print and for quick searches and information they lean towards using e-books.

Though this research is potentially on the verge of outdated, patterns remain the same for the time being. The question now is how do we improve our libraries even further to make sure that everyone has access to these resources? The following video presents a hypothetical world in which the libraries change in response to the change in information and knowledge and create cloud-like libraries that exist everywhere. One point that the video brings to light is the issue of the digital divide. This concept addresses those who can’t afford or gain access to personal computers or the Internet. This concept is important to keep in mind because ideally information should be available to all. Luckily with the presence of public libraries those without access can get information, which is why the preservation of the library system is and should remain in place and relevant.