Libraries and the Internet

Yesterday morning Josh Montgomery and I had a good discussion about the changing nature of both libraries and the internet. It started off with this thought from Josh:

The Internet > Libraries

Which led to a wide-ranging discussion about those two topics. They are frequently seen as mutually exclusive, like they are engaged in some sort of death match for information supremacy. I see this as not valid. I see the two entities as mutually beneficial. Both serve different, but fundamentally linked purposes.

The internet has become the de facto repository for much of the information that is produced by mankind in this age we live in. The ease of adding content to the internet is unrivaled, and couple that to the relative ease of sharing that information makes the internet the transforming hurricane of information that it has become. As a matter of fact, allow me to share with you a graphic I saw recently that puts the amount of information available on the internet in perspective:


Source: Mozy.

Yes, libraries have traditionally been repositories for information, but this too is changing. I think libraries, as well as librarians need to respect this new schema for information creation and sharing, as it is what the user has deemed best. But what is it that will make libraries stand out and apart from the internet in this information age? Service.

I feel sure that you, good reader, find the amount of information available on the internet bewildering, and maybe even a little frustrating. It’s ok, you are not alone. One way in which libraries can and are staying relevant in this information age is helping users filter out information they don’t need, or want, from their internet usage. For libraries and librarians totally ignored the internet would be unethical, and a terrible disservice to the patrons and users of the library. However, librarians have the skills to help individuals search the internet more effectively, and discover the “good” information they desire. Beyond that, libraries grant their patrons access to paid electronic databases that patrons could never afford on their own. These databases contain amazing amounts of data, but the search methods are all different, requiring the skills of a librarian.

Let me say it like this: The reason for the existence of libraries in this information age is not buildings, not books, and not even internet access. The reason why libraries are more relevant than ever before is the skills and services that librarians provide.

Allow me to provide you with a hypothetical example. When you search for something in Google, do you always find exactly what it is that you are looking for? Are the recommendations that Amazon makes for you to purchase always accurate and exactly what you want?

I would say no to this question.

Why is it that these methods of recommendations or information searching/discovery are flawed? Well, there are a couple of reasons why, I think. First, these systems are machines. They are not empathetic, they cannot ask detailed questions, and they do not have experience and a skillset to bring to bear on a problem. All they do is run rankings, track usage, and perform algorithms. Helpful as these may be (and I would say they are helpful, but not optimal) they do not take the place of a librarian in a reference interview, or doing reader’s advisory. Another reason why these machine run tools are less than optimally effective is that they serve a different purpose? What is the fundamental purpose of Google? To make money through advertising. The search tool is simply how they deliver that advertising. What is the problem with Amazon? Well, they sell books, CD’s, and movies - the traditional fare of libraries. But they also sell rakes. Amazon cannot focus on information needs like a librarian can. They, also, want to make money - but don’t really care how. It could be from a book, or some cosmetics.

I’ll refine my point a bit: Libraries are significant and important in this age because of the personal, human information services it provides.

As I mentioned above, libraries have books and other “information containers” as well - and internet search engines are terrible as searching this bibliographic data. There are systems online to effectively search this data - but they are designed, and the information maintained by who? Librarians.

Ok, so I feel like I am rambling a bit here, so let me sum up and move on. The internet is a great way to create, store, and share information of all kinds, good and bad. The internet is essential to our daily lives. But, the internet is not greater or better than libraries. The two support one another, with the internet providing a massive information resource and libraries providing the services and skills to navigate this massive amount of information. And the information in libraries includes not only electronic information, but also information in books, periodicals, music, and archives, most of which is not available online.

Near the end of our conversation, Josh asked me a question:
“If you had to destroy the internet or libraries, which would you destroy?”

I would destroy neither, if at all possible. However, if forced to choose, I would destroy the internet, because without libraries, I would be out of a job! I know that’s a bit selfish, so let me give you a better reason. The services the internet provides are replaceable, but the services libraries provide are not.

All of these thoughts are a great segue into tomorrow’s topic: How have libraries evolved over time? I’ll pick up some threads of this topic tomorrow as I talk about web 2.0 technologies and a new field/idea called Participatory Librarianship.

Good reader, if you made it through this post - give yourself a gold star!

- Jason Dean