After working at a public library for nearly four years, I can say that libraries are a tremendously underappreciated source of information. Who wants to spend time in a building dedicated to outdated, dusty books anyways? What many people do not realize is that there is much more to libraries than books. According to the American Library Association, there are an estimated 119,487 libraries in the U.S. and these spaces are dedicated not only to books but to ideas, innovation, exploration, collaboration and the cultivation of new knowledge. Blackburn Cataloging and Reference Librarian Lynn Armstrong believes libraries are “social levelers,” allowing people with different circumstances unlimited access to information in a myriad of forms including print, digital, technological and service based.
Many people still do not use library services to their full potential. As a library worker, I am discouraged when I talk to students and discover that they still have the mentality that the items they can borrow from a library are limited to the library’s physical collection. I find this misconception very frustrating considering the vast sharing capabilities of libraries. The Blackburn Lumpkin Learning Commons is part of the Illinois Heartland Library System (IHLS) which covers about 28,000 miles and serves a population just over 2 million. There are over 500 libraries in the IHLS consortium and over 300 participate in Sharing Heartland’s Available Resources Equally (SHARE) which gives patrons access to nearly 10 million items that can be ordered from their library or online. These services are not unique to print items, many libraries also share digital items such as DVD’s and CD’s.
Another underappreciated service that libraries offer is digital services, which are key in narrowing the national and global digital divide – the void between those who have access to the internet and digital services, and those who do not. In July 2015, the Pew Research Center released a study which illustrated the digital divide in the U.S. by showing that 15 percent of Americans still do not have access to the internet. According to the 2013 Digital Inclusion Survey by the Institute of Museum and Library Services, nearly 98 percent of libraries offer free wi-fi services and 100 percent of libraries offer access to licensed databases. Libraries are narrowing the digital divide by adding new technology that patrons can learn and use for little or no cost. Technology like 3D printers, GoPro cameras and Kindles are becoming more widely available. By providing patrons with access to these new forms of technology, libraries are able to improve their local communities through technological education.
This is just a small overview of the myriad of services that libraries offer. People need to realize that there is much more to a library than four walls, a roof and some books. Libraries are truly a place where knowledge is abundant and everyone is equal. The library stereotype of a building filled with books and oppressive silence needs to change. Word of mouth is the best way to shatter this stereotype and it starts with you. Check out your library, take advantage of the services there and be sure to share your experience with a friend.