The Importance Of Libraries For Public Libraries Essay

For libraries to remain a place for a lively exchange of ideas, librarians should be armed with the right knowledge and strong conviction to preserve people’s rights.

The author starts off with a rhetorical question: “What kind of problem is a library?” urging the readers to think about this question as they continue to read the article. The question grabs the readers’ attention, and intrigues them to read on to find and answer. She further utilizes this technique of rhetorical questions throughout the article for the same purpose of emphasis on the vitality of the role of public libraries. Moreover, Smith extensively employs the use of metaphors and personification. For example, she describes the internet as libraries’ “universal death knell”, which portrays the internet’s negative impact on the development of

The final stakeholder could be students who attend college now. The students now want the same thing as the students back then, to get good grades and study hard. Students now believe that libraries are used for the internet and a quiet place to study. Most students only use library databases if it is required by the teacher. Students today would say that Google is a reliable source and that it is easier to use than databases. Current students have more available options than the other stakeholders because they are a part of the new generation. Like the other stakeholders, students still use the library even with the technology changing. Jenny Platt is currently attending CSU and is in the class of 2015. She doesn’t go to the library but if she did she said she would get on her computer and go to google to start her research. She said she does not check books out from the library because the internet is easier (Platt). Platt says “The library has better information but Google is just faster and more convenient.” After taking a survey on the Facebook page for the class of 2015, at CSU, the students were more likely to start their research by using google instead of library databases and books. Out of the 32 students who responded, 27 said google, 4 said library databases and only 1

As public libraries struggle to remain relevant in today’s society and respond to the changing needs of older adult patrons it is important to become more

The author of this article Mrs. Denise Davis is the director of the Office for Research and Statistics of the American Library Association. This means that Mrs. Davis is able to access and is responsible for the reports mandatory for each library across America to turn in each fiscal year, these reports are used to determine what changes the libraries need to make to better serve the public. Given her credibility to write on such topics she then chooses a topic each year to write on to prepare libraries and librarians across the country for the upcoming years. In 2010 Mrs. Davis choose to write on eBooks and their increasing popularity throughout the American population as well as the difficulties libraries have encountered in the past fiscal year to compete with eBooks. Because this article is written in 2010 it shows just how long libraries have struggled with the topic of eBooks and can demonstrate the new policies that have been used by the libraries throughout the past four years. This information can help my research in showing how eBooks have affected the library's behavior, and consequently give me the statistics needed to show the effects of eBooks on the libraries throughout the recent years. Understanding this source is outdated other sources will also likely be used in my final project from the American Library Association websites of statistics of more recent years.

Furthermore, school library media centers provide students from poverty with access to print and digital information. As a school library media specialist, I will use my expertise in children’s literature and information literacy to lessen the educational gap between high-income and low-income students through providing equitable access to information for all students. Moreover, by pursuing a career as a school library media specialist at the elementary level, I will be able to help early childhood students from diverse backgrounds develop literacy skills. I am seeking a career as a library media specialist to use my expertise as a information professional and the resources of library media centers to empower students through instilling their love of reading and increasing their information literacy to foster educated and empowered school

The decision to promote the library as a “place for everyone” comes from an understanding of the diversity in my community and a strong belief that library resources should be accessible to all, not just a particular demographic. Everyone should feel comfortable in the library, regardless of their background or personal circumstances. Therefore, we as the library have an obligation to create an environment that fosters inclusion and diversity.

The U.S. population is shifting and minorities such as the Hispanic race will soon exceed all other races in our country. We librarians have a duty to introduce our younger generation of minorities to our profession and begin chaining the view for U.S. minorities to have a better understanding of our profession. By doing this we can begin to change the perspective of our profession and to help ensure that more future minorities enter our profession.

Founded in 1899, Northern Arizona University’s (NAU) first library opened with a dictionary and encyclopedia in its collection. Located in the central part of the NAU Flagstaff campus, it provides both physical and virtual environments that foster intellectual discovery, collaborative research, and access to technology (Library overview, 2016). As with most academic libraries, the research collections are critical to supporting the curricular and research mission of the university. As of April 2016, members of the NAU community and public have access to more than 670,000 print and e-books, 81,000 e-journals, 161,000 online audio and video recordings (J. Swann, personal communication, April 19, 2016). Successful learning requires inclusive and widespread support along with relevant resources from the library. Thus, the library offers spaces including group and individual study rooms; multi-media production studios, classrooms, and a makerspace. The library’s mission statement confirms the organization is committed to:

“The Library Card,” by Richard Wright is a strong essay on how books can affect and influence readers. Richard Wright writes that his first experience of the real world is accomplished through novels. He read an article criticizing H.L. Mencken and it tempted him to read some of his books. The article labeled Mencken as “a fool.” Wright wanted to know what this man had done to cause such hatred against him. “I wondered what on earth this Mencken had done to call down upon him the scorn of the South. The only people I had ever heard denounced in the South were Negroes, and this man was not a Negro,” (pg.319) Wright writes that tells us that the South was filled with racism and hatred among the whites and blacks. Mencken must have had ideas

The Laurentian Library was commissioned and constructed by Michelangelo beginning in the early 1520’s in Florence, Italy. The library was a turning point for architecture in how buildings were artistically conceptualized. The library was built to house the 4,500 printed books and the the 11,000 family manuscripts of the Medici family. It was made for the Pope at the time, Pope Clement VII, who was a Medici. The library was meant to display the Medici family’s intelligence and to celebrate knowledge. The library was built on top of an existing convent at the Church of San Lorenzo. It was made up of two connecting parts, the vestibule with a staircase and a long reading room. The design of the library, especially the vestibule, is one of his most exceptional architectural achievements. Michelangelo had a vision to build a skylight in the vestibule, but this idea was shut down, and clerestory windows where built into the west wall instead. The windows are framed with pietra serena. Columns rest inside the walls, which appear to be supported on consoles. The texture between these columns is like a taut skin stretched out between them. The dramatic vestibule is a square area that is 48 feet high with a stone staircase that takes up most of the room. It is shocking that the vestibule is almost half as tall as it is wide. The stairs were constructed in such a complex way, and rarely has architecture ever portrayed such style that brings dynamic movement and drama. It is said the

Since their establishment, libraries have served as a gateway to knowledge and services that revolutionized the way the public attains information. Unlike many other institutions, public libraries have grown and evolved along with society by adopting new technology and offering resources tailored to the needs of their local community.

Information literacy skills are used for academic purposes, such as research papers and group presentations. They are used on the job—the ability to find, evaluate, use and share information is an essential skill. They are also used in consumer decisions, such as which car or vacuum cleaner to purchase, are critical. Last but not least, they are used by informed citizens in participating fully in a democratic society through voting (Kenney, 2007).

Being a librarian and one who has always “had a fascination with gadgets” (Hanson, 2011), and a passion for both information and technology, Hanson states he has been working for five years to find a better way to join technology and information. He notes “libraries and librarians have perceived themselves as subject to near-constant technological upheaval and information revolution, largely due to the rise of microcomputing, desktop computing and Internet connectivity.” (Hanson, 2011) He believes libraries are situated in a place to encourage libraries to provide mobile library services. With nearly all Americans owning cell phones, accessing the internet via their cell phones and tablets and major service providers focusing on mobile applications instead of applications for the PC, Hanson suggests it is time for libraries to also focus their efforts on providing mobile services.

The current service model employed by the Library includes limited technology-driven services and is primarily based around a reference desk staffed by information professionals during opening hours. However, due to the information and communications technology (ICT) revolution of the last few decades and the resulting ease with which users are able access information and services via the Internet, the Library is being confronted with swiftly changing behaviours and expectations from their users - as a result Curtin’s traditional services are no longer fulfilling the various users needs. To prove its ongoing usefulness and relevance to their users, the Library must redesign its services by embracing technology and Web 2.0 techniques, redesigning face-to-face services,