While social media and emerging technologies are being used to meet the public in areas that they are comfortable in, librarians need to keep in mind that “The goal among online academic libraries is to reduce the need for users to come to the library and to repackage our materials into an environment that is more familiar to specific users” (Dickson, 2010).
The immediate thought is that social media and emerging technologies are detrimental to today's libraries. However, if used correctly by our librarians and library staff, both can provide an avenue to reach current and new patrons. This is a slippery-slope, because overuse of either of the two could cause patrons to believe that they no longer need libraries to achieve what they can on the privacy of their own computers. Visit the Eejewell Blogspot to learn more about the impact that social media has on library services.
The question still stands…will there be libraries in the
future. Susan Gibbons of the University of Rochester offers one answer to this question.
I can see a future were people feel that a library has no use to them if they can access any information that they wish in the privacy of there own home. The idea of being able to get what you need while still wearing your pajamas is very attractive, however, one major appeal of a library to me anyway is that you can go there. Getting away from the distractions around you and having a place to go that is quiet and offers the resources that you need is a big bonus. You can focus in a library in a way that you can never focus at home with your family, telephone, television, and everything else to get in the way. Having these resources outside the library are great, but can they replace the need to have a peaceful, space to gather and share information, only time will tell.
ReplyDeleteGreat job on the blog by the way. It looks great!