An interesting story has been published at: www.teleread.com about whether libraries need to expand horizon as information provider It says:
And how about the library? Is that in jeopardy in this growing digital age? Maybe, if you see is as is merely a repository for books, and if the librarian’s job is simply to put books back where they belong. But how about if you view the library as the ‘hub for all things information’?
Our local library system spends a lot of time helping newcomers to the community—they have kits to help people learn English, they run classes on how to find a job and use a computer, and they have an extensive directory of community organizations they can refer people to for various issues. In this age of information overload, there is a place for a hub like this!
They also work a lot with students of all ages, teaching them how to research, how to read and explore. It’s not just about going to Wikipedia and copying down what you find, it’s about learning how to find the right resources for the project at hand. Sometimes, that will be a paper resource—I got valuable aid from a librarian when I was researching a project for a course I took, and kept finding references to a seminal article on the topic that dated back to the 1970s. I wanted to track down the original article, and my local reference librarian had a grand old time helping me with my good old-fashioned search.
And sometimes what you need will increasingly be an electronic resource. But consider this: there are a million free books on Google Books alone! Most sites like that are great if you know exactly what you’re looking for, but they are not so great for the casual browser. There is still a need, just like in the old days of paper-only, for an educated cross-referencer who can say to the book lover ‘here are some other books you might enjoy.’
As my local library branch undergoes a renovation—this is the third time a local branch has closed down for a year as soon as I move close to it—I would like to offer a humble suggestion. Thing big a little. Could you put in a garden with some outdoor reading space? Maybe a vending machine, or humble little coffee bar? Could you leverage the free wifi and comfortable hanging-out space into something that would truly be a community destination? Think big, because you are no longer merely a repository for books. You are a vital ‘hub’ for all things ‘information.’
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