It’s Not Time To Close The Book On Libraries
Two days ago society celebrated World Book Day with the closure of a number of libraries across the country. The irony is not lost on the librarians who lost their jobs are those who adore literature. It’s all very well and good to say that all the information can be found online these days anyway. But that doesn’t change the fact that libraries are still relevant, necessary and a crucial part of society. The fact is that researching information online is not and never will be the same as visiting a library. Here’s why we can’t shut the book on these key buildings in towns and cities across the country.
It’s A Free Source Of Information
The whole point of libraries is that they are a free source of information. And, arguably the only free source of information. You might say that you can get any book you want from Amazon, but you have to pay for it. Or, how about getting a newspaper? It still costs money. If you want to use the web, you’ll need to pay for a subscription to the service and contrary to popular belief, not everyone can afford that. Even if you do pay for your online service, you might find you need to pay even more money to gain access to informative websites. With a library, you just need a library card, and that’s completely free. These days you can even use a library to access the internet if you don’t have it at home. This has proved to be useful for a lot of children from low-income families.
They’re Changing All The Time
You might think that libraries have been stuck in the past for years and as such should be forgotten or shut down. But this isn’t true at all and libraries have been changed to be more modern. The furniture is different now with new library pods that offer a beautiful aesthetic. Gone are the days were libraries were filled with the scent of dust and must. You won’t even find that they are that silent anymore. They are bustling places filled with people in search of knowledge. At least, that’s what they could be if they stayed open.
And it’s not just the design of the library that has been altered. There’s plenty of new tech to be found inside too. Most libraries now have a computer hub which means that this is also a place where you can access the internet for free. This again highlights the importance of the libraries today.
And What Of Librarians?
It’s possible that you are under the impression librarians are just people being paid to look after and arrange books. On the contrary, librarians are so much more than that. They often have full degrees in art or literature. So, if you ever cared to speak to a librarian, you might find they know everything about a particular classic book you are searching for. There has been a trend of hiring cheaper, less informed staff for the libraries and many people have argued this is why they are no longer as popular as they were.
Still, libraries maintain a lot of their past potential and are a unique part of the city and the high street that we can’t just let disappear.