Libraries are important
This is my personal experience and opinion. Please pardon my conversational tone and know that this is not all I have to say on the subject. It is about one percent of what could be said in defense of libraries and in defense of equitable access to information.
With that said... I don't bite. Pardon the fishing metaphor but when someone says something that is wrong or ignorant on the internet, in the comments, in passing, 99% of the time I don't bite. I mentally remind myself just to let it go. But in person, especially with people I am close to, I sometimes bite. I have had to explain to people more often lately why libraries are important. In the most recent instance a relative casually said libraries will be "obsolete" and are "replaced by the internet".
So I said something like this: I teach 21 classes, 375 students every 6 day cycle. Our library checks out 18,000 PRINT BOOKS A YEAR. That is one school. Yes we have computers and kids have their own devices (but only SOME kids-- more about that later). And staff and students can download thousands of ebooks too but print books are still the way they want to read books. Chapter books, picture books, nonfiction books. I let that sink in. And he said in 20 years they will be "obsolete". I said... I hope not because libraries are important for a million reasons. People use their public,school, university (and other!) libraries and use their databases, download ebooks, go to the summer reading program, check out DVDs, books, CDs, fishing poles, museum passes and everything else. Libraries function as community centers, and provide internet access to people who may not be able access it from their home ( due to being rural or impoverished or both!). Libraries are needed for these reasons and anyone who says they are going to be "obsolete" is just plain WRONG and dangerously so. 67% of school age children get access to reading material from their school library. That source is UNPARALLELED. When someone can't drive them to their public library, when there are no books in their home, they have access at their school to books. IF they have a school library. IF they have a certified teacher as a school library media specialist. If uninformed people don't say they are "obsolete" and remove that from their lives.
I also said: Yes there is information on the internet but it is not always right or good or at an appropriate reading level. In this hypothetical world of no libraries who is creating that internet content for free for people? We have research tools with content that is written by experts, free from ads and computer viruses but it is PAYED FOR. It is behind a pay wall that you can't and don't want to pay for yourself. It is available through databases funded by libraries.
When I was considering applying to work on my Masters in Library Science an older librarian friend said "be prepared to justify our existence for the rest of your life". That always stuck with me and I am always amazed at how often I have to explain the importance of libraries.
Here are just 3 articles with statistics:
First millenials (and I am an "old millennial" FYI at 35) use libraries more than ever. This makes me chuckle because we are told by the media we are killing things all the time ("millenials killing the hotel industry" " millenials killing the napkin industry" lol but I digress).
Next, there are lots of great reports from Scholastic. I recommend you read their Family Reading Report. This brief blog post gives you the gist of their 21 state study that proves " School Libraries Work". You can also download the findings and view the report online.
Finally, a parent's take on why we are important. Because we are important. It is scientifically proven that reading for fun " free voluntary reading" ( give that a google) is the #1 predictor of student success. Comics, back of cereal boxes, Diary-of-a-Star-Wars-Dogman-Goosebumps-whatever. And just send anyone who tells you differently over to me. Because I bite.
With that said... I don't bite. Pardon the fishing metaphor but when someone says something that is wrong or ignorant on the internet, in the comments, in passing, 99% of the time I don't bite. I mentally remind myself just to let it go. But in person, especially with people I am close to, I sometimes bite. I have had to explain to people more often lately why libraries are important. In the most recent instance a relative casually said libraries will be "obsolete" and are "replaced by the internet".
So I said something like this: I teach 21 classes, 375 students every 6 day cycle. Our library checks out 18,000 PRINT BOOKS A YEAR. That is one school. Yes we have computers and kids have their own devices (but only SOME kids-- more about that later). And staff and students can download thousands of ebooks too but print books are still the way they want to read books. Chapter books, picture books, nonfiction books. I let that sink in. And he said in 20 years they will be "obsolete". I said... I hope not because libraries are important for a million reasons. People use their public,school, university (and other!) libraries and use their databases, download ebooks, go to the summer reading program, check out DVDs, books, CDs, fishing poles, museum passes and everything else. Libraries function as community centers, and provide internet access to people who may not be able access it from their home ( due to being rural or impoverished or both!). Libraries are needed for these reasons and anyone who says they are going to be "obsolete" is just plain WRONG and dangerously so. 67% of school age children get access to reading material from their school library. That source is UNPARALLELED. When someone can't drive them to their public library, when there are no books in their home, they have access at their school to books. IF they have a school library. IF they have a certified teacher as a school library media specialist. If uninformed people don't say they are "obsolete" and remove that from their lives.
I also said: Yes there is information on the internet but it is not always right or good or at an appropriate reading level. In this hypothetical world of no libraries who is creating that internet content for free for people? We have research tools with content that is written by experts, free from ads and computer viruses but it is PAYED FOR. It is behind a pay wall that you can't and don't want to pay for yourself. It is available through databases funded by libraries.
When I was considering applying to work on my Masters in Library Science an older librarian friend said "be prepared to justify our existence for the rest of your life". That always stuck with me and I am always amazed at how often I have to explain the importance of libraries.
Here are just 3 articles with statistics:
First millenials (and I am an "old millennial" FYI at 35) use libraries more than ever. This makes me chuckle because we are told by the media we are killing things all the time ("millenials killing the hotel industry" " millenials killing the napkin industry" lol but I digress).
Next, there are lots of great reports from Scholastic. I recommend you read their Family Reading Report. This brief blog post gives you the gist of their 21 state study that proves " School Libraries Work". You can also download the findings and view the report online.
Finally, a parent's take on why we are important. Because we are important. It is scientifically proven that reading for fun " free voluntary reading" ( give that a google) is the #1 predictor of student success. Comics, back of cereal boxes, Diary-of-a-Star-Wars-Dogman-Goosebumps-whatever. And just send anyone who tells you differently over to me. Because I bite.
Photo is from a local public library program we attended with our 4H. They presented a program about how to make maple syrup in your own backyard❤
Thank you for sharing this - I agree that libraries are absolutely necessary, and function as community centers as well as centers of books and education.
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