The Internet Won’t Replace Books in Libraries Anytime Soon

Computer enthusiasts have been discussing the concept of a paperless society for many many years. This would mean no more receipts, magazines, books, newspapers and more. The savings this would bring to America is enormous, but the cost to embrace this type of change would be considerable in the short term. One institution that is in no danger of going paperless anytime soon is the Public Library.

Internet and computer use has grown by leaps and bounds over the last 20 years. Home users have access to more information at a faster rate, and the number of people taking advantage of this technology grows everyday. It is no surprise that public libraries have seen a drop in patronage due to this. To make matters worse, the technology that is available at public libraries tends to be very out of date by way of comparison to what many Americans have at home. The American Library Association and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation funded a study that revealed demand for information technology in public libraries has stretched what existing resources that exist to their limit. Over 70% of the studied libraries were reportedly the only source of free computer and Internet access for their communities. Only 25% of the libraries studied claimed to have the computers they needed to meet the demands of their users, and there is no change seen in the horizon that will fix this issue. During peak usage hours many libraries reported more than an hour wait for computer access.

A big part of the problem in infrastructure growth is cost. Local tax revenue is the prime source of revenue for all public libraries and the money isn’t enough. Increased fines levied against library users as well as solicitations for donations have become necessary to simply maintain the current level of technology available. The use of refurbished computers and donated laptops has helped in this area, but a long term solution must be found that can help public libraries catch up to the demand of their users.

Americans who have computers and Internet access at home may not realize the impact the Internet age is having on the poor. The knowledge available to the average American has increased beyond measure due to Internet access. This is knowledge the poor have severely limited or no access too at all. This could increase the gap between the poor and middle class as opposed to help make knowledge available to everyone. Libraries have long been a free place for anyone to go too and access the information they needed. It is important that they continue to serve this function during the Information Age.

Wireless and Satellite Internet are helping libraries increase their bandwidth as well as cut costs. Over 17% of libraries claim they can reduce wait times through the use of wireless networking. This technology allows users to access the Internet via their own laptops, allowing those without computers access to the public ones now offered. This is also a solution to bandwidth problems many libraries are having as many still use dial-up access for Internet usage.