Why Public Libraries Are Relevant in the Digital Age

When people ask me what I do for a living and I respond with “I work at the Roaring Spring Community Library,” I almost always get the same reaction. If I had a dollar for every time someone hinted that my job and the place where I work are no longer relevant this day in age, I would be able to fully fund every library in the tristate area.

Many people are under the assumption that public libraries are no longer needed because of the internet. Nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, it is because of the internet that public libraries are needed now more than ever.

A simple internet search for “cats” produces approximately 2.98 billion results in less than one second. It is overwhelming! How do you even begin to navigate and sort through all of those results? We hear so much about “fake news” we don’t know what sources to trust. Librarians are there to help. They have been trained, through special classes and workshops, to sort through all of the results and find credible sources. Author Neil Gaiman said, “Google can bring you back 100,000 answers. A librarian can bring you back the right one”.

The public library helps people better their lives. It helps connect people with the resources they need to find a job, apply for veteran’s benefits, continue their education, and learn new skills. It helps seniors find the resources they need to keep up with the “modern” world. It helps new parents instill a love of literacy in their children and bond with them. It helps local artisans and craftsman display their work. It helps students find the answers to those seemingly impossible homework questions. It allows for people to meet and exchange ideas.

Libraries are so much more than books and information. Yes, there are public computers, internet access, movies, music, programs and a thousand other things but their meaning and relevance goes even beyond that. They are places where people feel safe and welcomed. They are places where someone who has limited resources can freely access materials and equipment they wouldn’t otherwise be able to. They can, at times be a refuge for someone who needs a quiet place to work or study.

Some of the best memories of my childhood involve going to the local library and in speaking with many others in the community, they too have those same memories. They are presently making those same memories with their children and their grandchildren. The public library brings people together to build a strong community. I don’t see the internet doing that.