Local governments are under pressure to cut every unnecessary expense they can, even funding to public libraries. With the vast amount of information available through the Internet, most of it free, it seems that libraries (and paper books) are superfluous relics of a long-gone, offline era. Indeed, Americans report in surveys that they are using libraries less and less. But is that really accurate? Read on...
Why Haven’t Libraries Died Yet?
The Netscape Navigator web browser was released in 1994, bringing multimedia content and easy access to a world of knowledge to non-technical users. It wasn't long before pundits predicted the death of the library.
Despite what surveys say about decreasing library usage, libraries’ in-house usage statistics say just the opposite. In fact, public libraries are busier than ever; the per capita number of visits to libraries has increased 23% from 1994 to the present, and the number of items checked out annually increased by the same percentage.
According to the Institute of Museum and Library Services, there are slightly more public libraries now; their numbers have inched up from 8,921 in 1994 to 9,216 in 2017 (the most recent survey). The only major statistic that decreased was “number of questions asked of librarians,” which declined 18%. The Internet, it seems, is taking a load off library staff.
But people want libraries to evolve. The Pew Research Center’s surveys indicate that the American public wants public libraries to support local education; serve special constituents such as veterans, active-duty military personnel and immigrants; help local businesses, job seekers and those upgrading their work skills; and embrace new technologies such as 3-D printers and provide services to help patrons learn about high-tech gadgetry.
The Denver Public Library, for example, is doing a fantastic job of meeting these expectations. The entire third floor of Denver's main library is a "Community Technology Center" that sports over 100 networked terminals. Specialized terminals for video calls are also available, along with scanners, color laser printers, and other peripherals. Black and white prints are a dime, color laser prints $0.50. A WiFi lounge has comfy armchairs. A dozen classrooms constantly host free lessons in Office, Web design, eBay marketing, job-hunting, and other skills.
The Library Evolves
Two other floors of the 7-story building harbor art galleries open to the public at no charge. They have an ever-changing array of local artists. A friend who lives in Denver tells me that the place is packed from opening to close, every day. All are welcome, including the homeless with backpacks the size of mini-fridges. Yet surprisingly, the restrooms are immaculate and the security guards are friendly but bored.