Technology and Libraries Overview!

Unshelved comic - January 12, 2011. www.Unshelved.com

Technology has always been a prominent part of librarianship. In fact, libraries where one of the first users of the internet, accessing digitalized catalogs from other libraries at least a decade before internet usage became widespread. New innovations are always being considered by libraries - for example, the Fargo Public Library has began to offer Ebooks for patrons to download, as well as free internet access, computer classes, and resources to learn about new tech.

This is a great thing for making technology accessible.  As we have stated in class, socio-economic class plays a big part in the adoption of technology, and those who aren't as fortunate as others are often left in the proverbial dust. However, the fact that anybody can use the computers at a Public library is a great equalizer, and at least lessens the divide between those who are technologically literate and those who are not.

However, the current system is far from perfect. First and foermost, libraries have limited funds to purchase technology,and also must balance their budget to pay for their employees, new physical materials (books, movies, etc.) and building maintainance.

This limits the amount of computers a library can have, which means that only a few patrons can be fully utilizing a library's technology at any time.  Also, the computers are one of the most used things in the library, it can be hard to gain access during any time of the day.

 Also, school libraries, where technology would be the most beneficial, are having the hardest time affording everything.  According to this article form the School Library Journal

      "After seeing so many schools redirect their library dollars to technology and audiovisual equipment, Knickerbocker created the Snapdragon Book Foundation, which helps foster children's literacy by providing financial grants to media centers that serve disadvantaged youth... Our ultimate goal is to do what we can to see that school libraries are still offering children good books to read—and to help the ones most in need"

Finally, many people have very fixed views of what a library is, how it looks, and it's functions in the current society. These people often reject the ideas of the increased focus of technology in the library, and are concerned with the how prominent it is currently.  This article from the Martha's Vinyard Times demonstrates this perfectly. The author quotes a current librarian:

"Libraries are trying to imagine their futures with or without books," Mr. Sutter continued. "Books are being pushed aside for digital learning centers and gaming areas. 'Loud rooms' that promote public discourse and group projects are taking over the bookish quiet. Hipster staffers who blog, chat on Twitter, and care little about the Dewey Decimal System are edging out old-school librarians."

And follows up with a single word reaction:

"Yikes."

Libraries, especially public libraries, need all the support that they can get. And having people who do not necessarily understand technology or how libraries are planning for the future are a hinderance for everybody.


Technology plays an incredibly important part in modern librarianship, and will continue to change both with and for libraries.