Are libraries going the way of Blockbuster Videos and telephone booths in this digital age? No - Libraries will keep important roles

No, not if they enhance their basic mission with new ways of fulfilling that mission.

That is what the libraries of Berkshire County must do and are doing, as represented by the Lenox Library (Eagle, Nov. 4). The library, housed in a beautiful downtown building, has come through a controversial management change, triggered by reasons that remain unclear, and according to Richard Taylor, outgoing president of the Board of Trustees, has dug itself out of a deficit and is now breaking even financially.

A library's basic mission of collecting books to be read for knowledge, research or pleasure hasn't changed. The demise of the printed book - along with the demise of newspapers and magazines - has long been forecast but is not imminent. People will read books on Kindle and other tablet devices and they will listen to electronic readings of books, but sitting down with a bound copy of a book has been a pleasure for centuries and remains so.

Libraries, of course, must embrace modern technology as well, and Berkshire libraries, like the Lenox Library, have added computer technology to enable patrons to engage in the kind of research that goes beyond the Dewey Decimal System. An online presence is necessary in essentially every field, and the Lenox Library has worked to build its online offerings.

Technology can be isolating, and one of the strengths of libraries is that they bring people together, whether it is to use a computer or sit in a comfortable chair and read a good book. More and more, libraries are town hubs, and they have branched out to host various organizational meetings and invite speakers on a variety of subjects of interest.

Amy Lafave, a lifelong resident of Lenox and holder of advanced degrees in library science, has evidently brought stability and encouraged growth at the library since her appointment at the beginning of the year. The board recently hired Susan Faber as development director, and the trustees have appointed Barbara Sussman Goldberg as its new president. According to Mr. Taylor, she will be looking at bylaws and plans with an eye toward upgrades where necessary.

Every library in every Berkshire community is important to that community. Advances in technology won't make them any less important and should in fact make they even more valuable to county towns and cities.

Source | http://www.berkshireeagle.com/stories/libraries-will-keep-important-roles,488723

Regards

Pralhad Jadhav

Senior Manager @ Library

Khaitan & Co

Blog | http://pralhad-fyilibrarian.blogspot.in/