"Are Librarians Totally Obsolete? 33 Reasons Why Libraries and Librarians are Still Extremely Important" - Article Review #2

This article addresses the futuristic notion that perhaps one day, libraries and librarians will disappear as more and more resources are digitalized. Is this realistic? Are we expendable, to be replaced by computers and internet connections?

Sherman doesn’t believe so. He makes a solid, 33 point argument that we are certainly needed in the digital future, perhaps more so than today. He accurately points out that the internet is not our enemy – it is a tool that we use to help our users locate information. And it is not a tool without faults…. of which I shall highlight five:

1. Not all information is available on the internet. For example, current copyright laws in the US protect works from being put on the internet for 70 years after the death of the author. Even if such laws did not exist, it would take about 200 years to digitalize the some 100 million books in print since the invention of movable type. (p.22)

2. The quality of the internet experience is determined by the user. There are skills required to best access information, and these skills need to be taught. “The internet is not DIY.” (p.24) Librarians have the know-how to help users access information effectively.

3. The internet is highly social in nature and makes in susceptible to low quality information. Information can be biased or manipulated. Websites that are frequented more than others are given priority in search engines. Popularity does not equal validity. Libraries contain resources that conform to strict guidelines or accuracy and citation.

4. It is often difficult to isolate specific information on the internet. Libraries contain detailed index information on resources in its collection.

5. The internet is transient. Website addresses change or go offline. Communities appear or disappear. There is a distinct lack of stability.

It is also important to note that not everyone has access to the internet and it’s not free. And books aren’t free either. For some people, the library is the only place where they can have access to reliable resources for research purposes.

It may surprise you to learn that people are using libraries even more since the dawn of the internet. With online access, library “attendance” is actually growing. People who were not library visitors in the past are finding a new connection with libraries through the internet.

Librarians are needed more than ever to help guide users through the messy information hub that is the internet. As even websites need moderators, we are the moderators between technology, information and needs of the user. That is one thing the internet will never do.

Sherman, Will. "Are Librarians Totally Obsolete? 33 Reasons Why Libraries and Librarians are Still Extremely Important." Teacher Librarian 35Oct, 2007 21-28. 20 Sep 2008