Dear Elders, With all the information available on the internet now, do you feel there is a need for a “traditional” library anymore? Or are they obsolete? Which do you use most?
– A researcher
Roioli Schweiker
Dear Researcher:
Not everybody uses the library books for research! Probably only a small percentage any more. However, people will be reading printed books for years and enjoying the art and lectures. Some people seldom read books in the past, either.
Since we don’t have internet at home, I use the library computers for that or occasionally take out a new book.
Jan Stickler
Dear Researcher:
I’m not sure what you mean by the “traditional” library. The library I grew up with was a “books only” library. Today’s library contains books and media, including computers. The computers are able to access all kinds of specialized databases that the average person would not generally subscribe to, as well as having internet access, and most of this is free! And that is only one aspect of the library. There are the children’s programs, the adult programs and the community meeting spaces. The number of people using the Concord Public Library justifies its existence alone.
As for books, I regard them as things of wonder and beauty. I love the smell and feel of them. You can curl up with your Kindle, but I’ll take a book every time. Obsolete? Did you say obsolete? Perhaps this question was directed to the wrong person.
– A retired librarian
Steve Leavenworth
Dear Researcher:
I absitively, posolutely believe that a town library is NOT obsolete! One reader recently commented that the library is last on her list of priority items for the city budget. Do you know that the town of Peterborough, in the early 19th century, was the first town in the country to provide a free lending library, supported by taxpayers? As far as I am concerned, the library ranks right up there with the police and fire departments. You, as a researcher, should know that you must be extremely careful about what you dig up on the web. ANYBODY could be the source! With a book in your hand you can critique and evaluate the sources. On the web, you never really know.
Bill Twibill
Dear “Do more than sit:”
Obsolete? Not on your life. They are more important than ever. Yes, the internet gives all the information one may need on most or all subjects, but just consider walking into the library and absorbing all that it offers, the joy of holding the printed word in your hands and the diversity of programs, special events, audio books, large print not available on the internet, reading newspapers and magazines in a comfortable surrounding, DVDs, CDs, computer classes, thousands of books to read or reference . . . all this and much, much more. The best news is that it is free to one and all.
Now get your geeky self off your chair and computer, then go and enjoy all the free offers at one of our libraries. If ever you want to experience literature heaven, go to the New York Public Library on Fifth Avenue in New York City. You will be amazed. Long live our libraries!
Casper Kranenburg
Dear Researcher:
I am so glad you wrote us at the Insider as I gather by your nom-de-plume, that you are seriously researching this subject. Search no further: A traditional library is not obsolete but a necessity in any town or city that values its knowledge-hungry residents. In your studies on this very subject you have probably seen that computers, enabling free internet access, are a prominent part of a library and are used by members to study, learn and research!
So there you have it – we need the library!
Links:
[1] http://www.theconcordinsider.com/photo/elders-group