Library Patrons in the Digital Age

By Aaron Tomak

We’ve established that libraries are not going anywhere anytime soon. And we know that librarians are more useful than ever. So what about the ones using the library? Those we lovingly refer to as our ‘patrons’?

The current population of library patrons ranges from avid readers that could care less about computers to junior software engineers to people just getting into emailing. How will the library remain cater to these diverse groups?

Dr. Steve Matthews at the 21^st Century Library Blog divided library users into three groups based on their understanding of and exposure to technology. These three categories are:

·         The Digital Fugitive – Those with little to no exposure to technology and those catered to by the traditional library

·         The Digital Immigrant – Those who grew up without technology but learned and integrated into their daily lives.

·         The Digital Native – Those who grew up with technology and for whom it’s an everyday part of their lives.

This is a very diverse group and represents the shift that is occurring within the industry. With such varying expectations, how do we provide these groups with the services they need and desire from the library?

We do so by best understanding not only what each group wants but by also realizing what serves both the user of the library and the underlying philosophy of what a library is. Those most interested in the traditional library still want books on shelves, helpful and knowledgeable librarians, and a quiet atmosphere. And consider this essay by Glenn Remelts of Calvin College in which he states “…when using the tools found in the digital library, it will be difficult to ignore the traditional library, because so many of the records found in the digital library refer to traditional paper sources.” There is still a place for the traditional library in the digital era.

For those patrons that are caught between the pre-digital and the modern age, the library is acting as a place to introduce them to new technologies and methods of learning, working, and communicating. The newest generation of librarians comes fully equipped with first-hand knowledge of many new and emerging technologies and it is their goal to teach these patrons how to navigate the digital age.

Lastly, and perhaps the most difficult, is making the library relevant to a generation of patrons that have always had Google and Wikipedia to answer their questions. This group is the future users of the library and it is they that will instigate a change in the nature and function of the library. For this group, technology is an integral part of their lives. It is these users we need to best understand.

Libraries 2020: Imagining the library of the (not too distant) future

View more presentations from Pew Research Center's Internet & American Life Project

Although libraries have not always operated as user driven entities, their modern day relevance relies heavily on providing the right services to the patrons. After all, these are the folk that are paying the taxes, driving the services, and gaining the most from the libraries. It is and always will be our goal as librarians to help shape society through education and access to information.

Where Are Librarians Headed?

By Aaron Tomak

A basic premise underlying the philosophy of the library and school system in a community is the importance of an educated society. Thomas Jefferson in a letter to his mentor, George Wythe, wrote, “…the most important bill in our whole code, is that for the diffusion of knowledge among the people. No other sure foundation can be devised, for the preservation of freedom and happiness." Public schooling is seen as a cornerstone of this belief.

But learning doesn’t have to end after adolescence. The notion of the public library upholds this core value, and it is shared by most people. Recently a public library in Troy, Michigan demonstrated this by taking on local tax protestors that wanted to vote against the library millage. By creating a fake campaign for a local ‘book burning’ they were able to gain attention and garner support from an outraged public:

It’s apparent to any community that an attack on the library is akin to an attack on its core values. But why would anyone feel that libraries are becoming obsolete? More and more people are turning to online resources to find the information they need. And why shouldn’t they be? It’s quicker, easier, and doesn’t require leaving the house. Something important that may be missing though is information literacy. Briefly, and according to the ALA, information literacy is the ability to “recognize when information is needed and have the ability to locate, evaluate, and use effectively the needed information.”

The Role of Libraries and Librarians in Information Literacy

View more PowerPoint from PLAI STRLC

And we’re in luck! Librarians are members of our community trained to be information literate. To a librarian the digital age offers not only challenges to their field but also many opportunities to prove how valuable they are. Here’s a few ways librarians are expanding their roles:

Distance Learning librarians: Distance learning librarians help patrons remotely via email and online chat

Cybrarians: The cybrarian specializes in using the web as a resource tool.

Digital Curation Librarians:  Digital Curation Librarians create and maintain archives of digital material

Teacher Librarian: although teaching and librarianship go hand-in-hand, modern teacher librarians are interested in teaching transliteracy: literacy beyond traditional platforms to incorporate knowledge in all formats.

So it’s apparent to us in the field that we are an invaluable part of society. And while our efforts may not be well rewarded we know that without our part, the world would simply be a much more confusing place.

So What Makes a Library Anyway?

By Aaron Tomak

Is it a building to store books? Is it a place to quietly read? Is it a place to rent movies for free?

Many of our preconceived notions about libraries have been challenged in the Internet age. But what remains consistent about libraries is the philosophies it represents. Freedom of, and access to information are foundations of what the library wishes to accomplish. In the digital age though, this basic principle is no longer as important. Instead libraries are focusing on other foundations of the field: Service, literacy, and rationalism.

The libraries of tomorrow cannot rely on old habits to remain relevant. Instead they are taking new and important steps to better aide their communities. Hellen Niegaard states in her article “Library Space and Digital Challenges” that libraries are already beginning to make the transition away from the “shelving-dominated library space”.  She points out that access to information resources and technology is what is driving the new age of public libraries.

A presentation by the Library Leaders and Management Association shows what the District of Columbia Public Library is doing to stay modern.

TOP LIBRARY BUILDING TRENDS

View more PowerPoint from Library Leadership & Management Association (LLAMA), American Library Association (ALA)

While still providing all of the traditional services expected of a library, the DCPL has expanded its mission to place itself as a community learning center, providing the tools and facilities for educational growth, collaboration, and instruction.

Around the globe, in Japan, is the Sendai Mediatheque. This unique library also includes an art gallery, cinema, and a cyber cafe. Designer Toyo Ito says the library prides itself on being 'barrier free' - that is free to all people, free from the constraints of traditional libraries, and even free of literal barriers such as standard walls and rooms, instead hoping to integrate the building with the natural flow of the city. Its unique architecture and mission may well be an example of where the future of libraries lies.

Sendai Mediatheque is a large clear cube built upon "tubes". The architecture is meant to integrate the building into the city and create an "ephemeral connection with infinite space".

New services, new technologies, and new ideas are shaping the modern library into a public space provided freely for the betterment of the community. And whether or not the there are any books contained within, the library will continue to provide the crucial services needed by any enlightened society.

Libraries in the digital age

By Aaron Tomak

It’s of no little concern that the traditional view of the library and the contemporary world of information do not necessarily align. More and more people are questioning the validity of the both the public and the academic library. In order to maintain their existence many libraries have had to expand upon their usual services in order to maintain relevancy.  The idea of a library as a book depository is no more. Now the library must actively engage its users by becoming educators, content creators, and providers of technological resources. Librarians must realize that the discovery of information will most likely take place independent of the library and expand their role from fact-finder to information guidance. They will need to accept the greater challenge that comes with this role.

In the current economic climate cities and organizations are looking for ways to cut spending and the library is a prime target. Luckily the library holds a soft spot in the hearts of many educated and influential people. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation released a study of the benefits of internet access within the public library. The 2010 report states that “149 million American’s visited public libraries in the last year and nearly half of these visitors made use of library computers and wireless networks to access the Internet”. For the past century libraries have been considered a mandatory public good for an educated and prosperous society. Now the library is in the difficult situation in which it must prove its continued value.

But the good news is that libraries are doing just that. According to the Public Library Funding and Technology Access Study 2010-2011, “virtually all public libraries (99.3 percent) provide public access to computers and the internet” and “87 percent of libraries provide formal or informal technology training”. With less funding and increasing demand libraries are rising to the occasion and continuing to provide excellent service to their communities.