The future library should have the resources to provide many more computer terminals than today, access to an even wider range of digital reference sources, more organised learning and group activities, courses to teach us how to find and use information; perhaps even hardware on loan. Imagine being able to check out an e-reader along with its contents. There should be plenty of old-fashioned paper books for people who prefer them. The library should be accessible to people of all ages, abilities, and social classes. And much, much more. Many of the facilities described in this dream vision are already provided in libraries around the world. We should encourage there to be many more.
So what can you do if your local library is threatened? See what's available there. Visit more often. Take your friends and your children. Join an adult education class. Look up professional journals to get a better grade for your next essay. Research the competition before you start up that business. Find out who your local political influencers are and write to them about your library. Start a campaign group. Make some noise about the library.
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I'd like to thank Philip Bradley for the permission to use of one his excellent library posters.
Article comments
1 - Cheryl Malandrinos
Obsolete? No, but libraries are not as vital to many as they were when I was growing up. Even in schools they are teaching children to look up information on the Internet on computers sitting in their school library. Yes, there are reference books there, but in my time volunteering at our school's library I never saw them doing anything other than collecting dust.
What I feel libraries did and still do well is give us a sense of community. This year my girls once again participated in our library's Summer Reading Program. This gave us a chance to visit the library at least once a week, run into some friends who were also participating, and help us get to know our children's librarian better. Since they had art activities at the library based around the program, the girls got a chance to re-connect with some of the friends they hadn't seen since the end of school.
Perhaps instead of closing libraries, some of these could become privately funded ones. We had that happen in a nearby town. It's not a perfect solution, as you can't borrow from public libraries in neighboring towns, since you are no longer part of the public library system; but isn't that better than shutting the doors and not offering services at all?
2 - Nukapai
I think making the comparison of 'looking things up on the computer' versus 'reference books' is still somewhat stuck in the idea that libraries are all about paper books. In my local library at least, the advantage to looking up at home on the internet versus looking the same stuff up at the library is that there are far more professional reference sources available at the library - for free. If I tried to access the same information privately I'd have to pay thousands of pounds in subscription fees. I suppose there would be room for a privately funded library system. As long as it would be run as not-for-profit organisation. I think public libraries are a mark of a good society that doesn't judge everything based on profitability.