The Future of the Library

What can libraries do to stay relevant in the digital age? I read Seth Godin's blog, and he blogged about this issue and it got me thinking. I don't even have a library card anymore. I did more than a decade ago, but it's gone now. In fact, it's been years since I went inside a library on my own. I've been with Katie to return or check out books, usually for her classroom, but never on my own for my reading pleasure. Part of that is because I don't get as much pleasure from reading as she does.

But I do read. I read RSS feeds, blogs, Twitter and Facebook. This is MY reading material. And I don't need a library to find it. I need my computer, or iPod.

Occasionally I do read actual books. Last summer Katie and I were browsing in Costco and looking across their books. I wasn't expecting to pick up a bestseller, take it home, and read it cover-to-cover. Nor was I expecting to find a cookbook, try some new recipes, and become a better cook. This was all the furthest thing from my mind. But a particular book did catch my eye for some reason. Its called POLK: The Man who Transformed the Presidency and America by Walter R. Borneman. It's not like me to WANT to read a book, so we decided it was worth it to buy it. It's a biography of James K. Polk, our eleventh president of these United States. I've only read about a third of the book so far, but I've enjoyed reading it when I get a little spare time. (James K. Polk is my favorite american president.)

Katie and I have actively made the transition to the digital age. Yes we do own DVDs, CDs, and books. (That's a discussion for a whole new blog post another day.) But the media we most enjoy is digital. We receive the newspaper on the weekends, but mostly for the Church News and the ads on Sunday. Not for the articles. We don't watch the nightly news, or any TV news for that matter. If its important enough, someone will tell us. All relevant news to me, I can usually find via Twitter, Facebook, email, or some other digital media.

What about the libraries? The Internet is still a fairly new technology. Before the Internet, students had to spend time inside a library to get access to encyclopedias, and other reference materials. Now information about anything and everything is online, in your own home, in the comfort of your pajamas.

Of course, that's not to say libraries are obsolete (yet). What about the rest of the offerings of the library? In an economy such as now where money is tighter, people cannot purchase books they need or want to read, and not every book is available free online. The lending library provides a rich world of information not available elsewhere. But for how long?

Librarians are saying that the number one thing they deliver to patrons is free DVD rentals. That's not a long-term strategy. Nor is it particularly an uplifting use of our tax dollars. I guess that does include all sorts of educational, documentary, and how-to types of DVDs, but I can't say that I agree with that as a proper PRIMARY use of a library system.

Baby boomers are on the way out, and kids that grew up on the Internet are now old enough to spend money. This poses a problem with the changing attitudes on the proper use of libraries. Robin Cicchetti proposed some solutions to this inevitable problem, as is applies to school libraries:

1. Transform the "library" into a "learning commons." Libraries are crucial in this age of abundant information, but only if they provide relevant support for those actively navigating the digital environment. Hang up your "shhh," stop fussing over the coffee cups, welcome students in with wide open arms along with their mess and Facebook. Give them new tools so that they can find, evaluate, and create. Teach them how be ethical and productive citizens. Teach them how to communicate responsibly and publish to the world. Creativity can be messy and loud. Get over it. Welcome to the learning commons.
   
2. Stop paper training students. Push information out to students digitally and also teach them the critical skills of finding and evaluating it for themselves. Paper is our orientation, but doesn't do any favors for our digital natives. The age of the reading packet is gone because it can't be accessed by students with reading disabilities. It can't be posted to a collaborative platform for analysis and discussion. It can't be linked or embedded, and it isolates the learner. Students need to manage their information and materials using RSS feeds, web portals, and collaborative platforms. They deserve the opportunity to share learning with an authentic audience made up of peers, experts in the field, or a global audience. Use paper only as a last resort.
   
3. Be a leading voice in bringing new ideas to your community as a tool for evaluating current practice. Change is hard. Be enthusiastic of innovation and supportive yet positive with those who may feel overwhelmed. There is no such thing as a "dumb question". Recognize and value the best of "old school" methods with the same vigor you use to promote the new.
   
4. Advocate for the diversification of formats. Planning for the future still involves books, but collections should also include ebooks, MP3 books, graphic novels, and collections that are rich in media. This means leading investigations into new technologies that will allow us to manage, catalog, and curate media productions, media files, student artwork, student performances and more. This means researching vendors, piloting digital textbooks, and supporting hand held digital devices for students.
5. Treasure and promote curiosity and creativity in our students. Bringing new tools to teachers as a way to provide alternate ways for students to find information, create meaning, and share their learning is a unique skill librarians can bring to their schools.

I believe the proper direction for libraries is to become a central starting point for the exploration of information and acquisition of skills and knowledge. Free classes or experts available. Become a place where people can learn how to use the internet. Learn how to research for jobs or homes. Improve job skills and interview skills. Learn new skills via the library's database of tutorials. In general, a way to improve ourselves in this economy.

Without this kind of change, within the next ten years, we'll see the public library system turn into nothing more than a place where kids go to read magazines and play online games, and a warm place for the homeless.