The End Of The Library

This strikes me as one of those (many) pieces where TechCrunch (and the Silicon Valley elite) are too far removed to make an accurate assessment. Like colonial explorers, amazed by the "crude" methods of the peoples they encounter.

Libraries are one of few effective public resources that function to address class inequalities in our society. It's not just about access to information, but also a community guide for everything from how to vote, apply to jobs, and file a tax return. They provide entertainment by lending DVDs and CDs (think Netflix for those who can't afford $9/month), as well as books and magazines. They also provide free gathering space for tutoring, job training, and community building.

For millions in America, an iPad or eBook reader is equivalent to two weeks pay or more. For them, the end of libraries would be another sign that they're being abandoned and continue to erode the pretense that an "American Dream" exists for everyone.

My little anecdote. I was at the library today and it was packed even though it was a Sunday and only open for about four hours. My library was is a definite hub of my community and if anything has only increased its presence over the past few years. It's an amazing resource and there are a tons of programs for folks of all ages. The selection at my local library is a bit limited, but I can reserve books online from the county network and they will ship and hold them at my local library for me.

There was a similar article to this on /r/books a while back I was really struck and inspired by this comment. It touches on the importance of libraries in larger communities.

I created an account just to join this discussion. I am a professional librarian and work in mid-sized city downtown library. Those of you who say that libraries do not end ignorance or stop illiteracy are correct. Those of you who say you can find just about anything you could ever want online are also correct. However, every day I assist grown adults who can barely read (and have zero computer skills) sign up for food stamps. I help people who have worked for years in food services apply online for fast food jobs because there are no more paper applications. I help construction workers apply for unemployment online. I assist people who can not afford attorneys with legal templates so that they can file for divorce or for child custody (no we do not give out legal advice.) I help people make copies of their IDs and receipts so that they can send a fax so that they can get their electricity cut back on. I proctor tests for college students who are taking distance ed classes. I maintain microfilm and digital newspaper collections of the local newspapers. Staff at the library, over the decades, have indexed the newspapers to make them searchable. (BTW the local newspaper is so badly staffed now that they rely upon the library exclusively for access to content that is over 15 years old.) We maintain local history documents. We maintain old and rare books that pertain to regional history. We select and provide assistance with databases that we feel meet the informational needs of the community. We answer mail sent from inmates in prisons asking for the addresses of half way houses and food stamp offices for when they get released. I have old out-of-print books of historic stock information for the odd guy trying to find out if the stocks he found from the 1940s in his grandfather's closet are worth anything. I have price guides, car repair manuals, and old city directories going back to the 1920s. My library is also a government documents repository, which mean we house both print and digital documents that were created by the various federal agencies. Looking for the City and County Data book from 1974? We got it. Staff have been trained to use the government resources. They will help you find what you need if it exists. Not only are libraries a place for information gathering and assistance. It is also a place for the community to come together. In an environment of drive-thru restaurants and online shopping, its one of the last few places where you can run into your neighbors and not have to buy something. It is a place for tutors to meet with their students. I see people everyday who come to the library just to get out of the heat or the rain, who come on their lunch breaks, who come after school, or walk over from the bus station (dragging luggage) because they missed their bus out of town and the next one will not come for hours. I don't know where communities will be without libraries. I imagine communities would be poorer without them.

http://www.reddit.com/r/books/comments/1m8l01/the_price_of_l...

As a father and graduate student let me tell you that we use libraries A LOT. There is no way I would buy the amount of kids books (or e-books) that we go through in a month in lieu of a library.

As for the grad student part, I use the library largely as a research tool, which means utilizing materials that were pre-e-reader as well as the research staff.

Safe to say that there is much much more to libraries than checking out the latest books.

>>> I know this sucks. Libraries have been an invaluable part of human history, propagating our culture and knowledge over centuries.

Public Libraries also provide free/subsidized access to that culture and knowledge, which the current digital distribution channels that MG discusses do not.

The internet provides free access to a lot of information as well, but a lot of high quality information is being moved behind paywalls or proprietary distribution channels. The fact that accessing a lot of this information requires a paid for broadband connection and +$100 device also serves as a barrier for access.

So if we want to talk about the role libraries play, and what potential channels are going to replace them, we need to keep this in mind as well. It's easy to talk from a position of relative wealth about how you no longer need libraries, but they serve more people than jus the wealthy.

I use libraries as other use coworking spaces - especially university libraries and especially in Europe. Libraries offer a quiet place to get stuff done.

That's not going to change. In fact, a refocus on libraries as common work/study areas is probably what will happen or is it already happening?