Library
A library is a repository of information that is present in any institution a person may visit. The information can be stored in the form of a book, audio, video, recording, manuscripts, or periodicals. There are different types of libraries in existence, including the physical and digital libraries. A physical library can be defined as a scientific library where a person seeking information can utilize the databases, journals, and books within the field of study. On the other hand, a digital library is simply a collection of digital objects rather than physical ones. It might include text, images, audio, or video stored in electronic formats. Combining physical libraries with digitalized tends to have a significant impact on individuals seeking information. People who have already embraced the advantage of digital and physical libraries end up losing nothing and have a variety of alternatives for finding information. Even though technological evolution leads the path towards the future, combining digital and physical libraries has proven to be a viable option that enables people to have entire resources at their disposal as they have a variety of options, reading tools, as well as it fits more significant demographic such as all races, gender, ages, and wealthy classes.
The history of the library is considered to be an academic discipline that is devoted to the historical invention of libraries. The first library comprised of the earliest archives writing forms. The Cuneiform clay tablets scripts discovered within the rooms of the temple in Sumer, whereby some of them were dated back towards the end of 2600 BC (Wiegand, 63). They were approximately one inch in thickness; the tablets came while in various sizes and shapes. Mud looking similar to clay had to be placed on top of the wooden frames, as well as its surface became smoothened to accommodate some forms of wrings and ensured they became dry. After they were inscribed, the sun made the clay to dry and have a hard finishing that was baked within a kiln. In storing such tablets, they were stacked as the contents were described using title written at its edge, it is seen clearly and faced out. The first library was seen 5000 years back in Fertile Crescent in the Southwest part of Asia. As time moved by, the libraries started evolving in tom, becoming modernized. As of the 21st century, there were rapid technological evolutions that led to the invention of a digital library where one can access information through online platforms. Such an invention tends to surpass the physical libraries; thus, there has been an ongoing debate where to go digital or not. According to the 2017 statistics released by the American Library Association (ALA), the ratio of men to women that utilize libraries is at 19:81. This has been a drop of almost a half within the past couple of years among the visitors under 25 years, where approximately 87% of them are whites while 4.4% are African Americans, and an increased number of visitors are the ones with MLS degree and bachelor degrees (Rosa, 1-2). This implies the evolutionary aspect of technology that has led to more people going digitally affects the statistics adversely.
The libraries might be experiencing slight competition in terms of accessibility since there is an invention of the internet, which can be accessed whenever the need be and in a faster manner. Controversies are existing between the two regarding which is the better library to continue using and which one to get rid of (Quan, 341). Recent statistics have indicated that in 2019, 90% of U.S. adults have accessibility to Wi-Fi. Additionally, the statistics have shown that in 2012, 23% of Americans could access online books to acquire information. The reason for the decreased number of people accessing online books is due to the costs of online books and subscriptions. Statistics have revealed that as of 2018, accessing online books had a subscription of approximately $89.95 for one year and $169.00 for two years for the United States citizens.
Despite the technological evolution leading to the invention of digital libraries, the physical libraries are still relevant. Their relevance can be seen in the aspect where they welcome everyone, regardless of financial status (Bradshaw and Nichols, 46). People seeking information but cannot manage to pay the costs for online books and subscriptions still can have the opportunity. Additionally, physical libraries act as an escape from home as well as it is a safe refugee for the homeless. Physical libraries are essential, in the sense that someone somewhere needs to take responsibility for preserving knowledge in an accessible form, on whatever media. If it is left to chance, the chances are it will be lost. People who are homeless have such opportunities of gaining knowledge that can be beneficial to them without making payment. Also, access to Wi-Fi, shelter, water, resources, and education is free when a person is using physical libraries; thus, being the necessities people would like to have when visiting a library. The issue that most people who haven’t been to a library in a while do not understand is that libraries are not just books. Libraries offer free Wi-Fi service; they provide computers and electronic devices to those who don’t have them at home. Moreover, older books are not digitalized. The aspect of technological evolution did not exist in the ancient days where some of the books were being published; thus, finding such books on online platforms is difficult; it is only in the physical library. There is also no falsified light/ staring at a screen. Staring at a computer screen for prolonged periods does not permanently damage one’s eyes. However, the blue light emissions from computers and other digital devices can cause digital eye strain and can be a factor in the development of macular degeneration. Furthermore, in physical libraries, the issue of copyright does not exist. Digital information is highly susceptible to being copyrighted when compared to physical.
In as much as the physical libraries tend to be advantageous when compared to digital libraries, some circumstances make it convenient to be online such as the recent crisis of COVID-19. Coronavirus has emerged to become one of the major obstacles hindering people from accessing physical libraries since there is no cure yet. Thus the World Health Organization (WHO) has recommended various necessary measures that need to be followed to curb the spread. One of the measures is social distancing, which implies that people are not allowed to mingle in places, including libraries, in the name of seeking information. This has made the online platforms for seeking information to be viable despite incurring the extra cost of the subscription. Such a crisis has led to a large number of deaths globally, and more still will die until the cure is found on time. The fear of being infected has made more people shift from attending physical libraries is seeking information into digital since they are advised to stay indoors as a precautionary measure. In as much a some of the people did not prefer going digitally, the circumstances force them to embrace it.
Despite the crisis that has made it convenient for people to go digitally, the physical libraries are still unimportant since there are no guarantees to have access or no wait time. For instance, a person could go to the library and not get to do what he or she was going to do because of the people there but for sure can do it on the phone (Orlean, 119). Additionally, the phones provide full accessibility to everything. The evolution of technology has led to the emergence of smartphones, which by just using less cost, you can access all of the information you wanted. Also, the phone can be used in preferred formatting and options (font size, an audio option, highlighting, words to a page, annotate) wherein the physical library could be somehow difficult. The storage space of the phone gives it the ability to carry the entire library information as well as download everything. Additionally, the phone has sites such as Wattpad, where a person can see unpublished work where the physical library has only the published work. Furthermore, damaging a phone physically is difficult compared to physical books, and a phone is environmentally friendly since no one can litter a place with phones, but papers from the book are all over.
However, I think that having both the physical and digital libraries can be effective and ideal in the sense that it will involve the combination of the amount of resources we have access too. Some of the information found in the digital libraries might not be found in the physical libraries and vice versa (Orlean, 112). Thus, combining increases information availability and accessibility. Additionally, the information will be available every time, fast, and efficient. Furthermore, the lower class still benefits, while the upper class does not lose anything. The cost of going online and subscriptions were challenging for the less privileged class individuals; however, combining makes them access the information using the means that work for them.
In conclusion, public libraries can be as simple as a few shelves with books for lending in the back of some borrowed space, or as complex as a group of expensive buildings replete with staff, computers, books, magazines, artworks, coffee shops, tai chi classes, job hunting assistance, discussion groups, maker spaces, musical instruments and musicians, and much, much more. In contrast, a digital library is an online database of documents and objects in their digital format, for example, eBooks. The libraries mainly play a role in helping people find organized information. Despite the ongoing debate on the physical and digital library, I think that keeping both of them is ideal for effective information accessibility without leaving the disadvantaged behind. The information that cannot be accessed through physical libraries can be found in digital ones and vice versa; thus, there should be no excuse for failing to gain knowledge.
Works Cited
Quan Liu, Y. (2004)”Best Practices, Standards, and Techniques For Digitizing Library Materials: A Snapshot of Library Digitization Practices in The USA,” Online Information Review, Vol. 28 No. 5, pp. 338-345.
Wiegand, Wayne A. Part of Our Lives: A People’s History of the American Public Library. Oxford University Press, 2015.
Rosa, Kathy. “2017 ALA Demographics Study.” ALA Demographics Study. 18 July 2017, www.ala.org/aboutala/offices/diversity/diversitycounts/2009-2010update.
Bradshaw, Tom, and Bonnie Nichols. “Reading At Risk: A Survey of Literary Reading in America Research Division Report #46.” National Endowment for the Arts, June 2004
Orlean, Susan. The library book. Simon & Schuster, 2019.