Do we still need library - Essay Example

Library users themselves have developed an appreciation for knowledge as well as information making more adept than their predecessors do. Institutions, particularly academic and medical, and communities have to determine the relevance of libraries given the new age technology that makes it possible to have open access. Such relevance can be determined by identifying what the expectations of the modern-day world are given that the internet platform has wider reach and content especially concerning next generation applications (Watstein and Mitchell 182).

Academic libraries are described as the measure of the character and efficiency of universities that is depending on how they are ‘treated’. In a university, a library should have the most complete provision and be maintained properly as it is the most valuable equipment. Every piece of work produced at a university directly depends on a library as the research centre and indirectly a library is useful for educational works. Even with scientific research, a library is needed for gathering of information just as much as the laboratory is needed for data collection.

With humanistic research, a library is fundamental as it takes on the purpose of both library and laboratory. The learning process in higher education institutions is dependent on the library tools as the library is second in importance to the lecturers. The library tools refer to a variety of sources of information including journals, books and newspaper articles with scholarly information (Joshi 24). Gonzalez et al compare academic libraries to science laboratories, as they are equally open to experimentation.

This means they can remain relevant if businesses and academic institutions embrace innovation concerning service delivery. For instance, the University of Maryland and the College of Information Services collaborated to create the Virtual Business Information Centre that is a website providing single process access to both print and electronic media, as well as guidance in choice of databases, specific and general search strategies, plus links to chat reference and emails. This collaboration is essential, as it is not possible for an academic institution to carry on alone the responsibility of developing along with insuring information literacy proficiency, with its faculty and students.

A specialized website makes it possible to have enhanced services as well as save on costs as the need for staff and resources, along with costly parallel systems is eliminated. Albeit, it is crucial to note that innovation can only be relevant in so far as the needs of the users are responded to in a timely and effective manner. The needs of the users can be developed by creating a wider information base that in turn expands their knowledge and makes them want further services (Gonzalez et al 233).

Libraries are seen as a tool for enriching knowledge already gained in the classroom by students, where having a structure set aside for this sole purpose becomes integral. At the same time, public libraries are seen as a meeting point for students to convene and share their learning experiences as well as offer each other assistance with regard to research and general gathering of information. More often than not, teachers and lecturers will give out-group assignments and students