Public Libraries Can Thrive With E-Book Technology: Focusing On Educating Those Within the Digital Divide

There is a debate as to whether e-books and e-readers cancel out the modern librarian, making libraries and those within them obsolete. There are many different perspectives concerning this topic. But, let’s say the physical/traditional book does become obsolete—should public libraries be threatened by fear of a negative impact on the profession? Or, could this new age of technology present a unique opportunity for public librarians, especially libraries in struggling neighborhoods?

Some might not be convinced about the depth of the digital divide upon hearing of it. We see many teens, and even young children, from all backgrounds and economic statuses, who carry around high-tech phones and speak about the latest technology with ease. We may think, “Things are okay. Any digital divide present is a small issue that doesn’t impact my community.” In reality, the digital divide is ever present and it affects many. Author Denise Augusto gives two eye-opening scenarios that illustrate the digital divide very clearly and shows the punitive effect it can have on a community:

Branch #1

This first branch is located in a middle class neighborhood where most residents hold working class or professional class jobs, and most families live in single-family dwellings. The librarian I

interviewed estimated that roughly half of the households in the community have home Internet access. The branch serves a population of about 4,800. It has six computers for the public, each new, relatively high-powered, and equipped with flashy, over-sized flat screens. There are also four Internet access computers just for staff use, and one more computer just for OPAC access. There is almost always a waiting list for the Internet, and use is limited to 30 minutes per day per patron. Overall, this library has adequate digital access and can generally serve the public's needs, although more computers and longer use times would certainly benefit patrons without home computers.

Branch #2

This branch is located in an impoverished inner-city neighborhood where the average household income is well below the poverty level. It sits on a block in which a number of the buildings are

abandoned. A large portion of the community is unemployed, living in government-assisted housing, and/or homeless. This little branch library, no larger than a store in a strip mall, is

the only local library for a community of 45,000 people, making its service area the largest of any branch library in the city. Although the librarian I interviewed stated that virtually no community households have computers, the library has dismal digital resources. It has only three computers available for public use, and no computers for staff use. These three computers are old cast-offs from another library, and only one of the three works. That means that this one, slow, out-of-date computer provides computer/Internet access for a community of 45,000, as well as for the entire library staff. Computer-assisted reference is out of the question since a member of the public is almost always using the computer. Few of the schools in the neighborhood have libraries, much less plentiful computers with Internet access, so the public library is really the

only place to use computers. But there aren't any worth using.

Augusto makes it very clear that libraries located in areas that have more “economic strength” tend to get more resources for their patrons. The digital divide is a serious issue in our technology focused world.

How does the digital divide assure that public libraries can survive, even if e-books, e-readers take precedence over physical books? There will always be an under served community that needs public resources to mitigate the effects of poverty and unequal access. Communities that are unable to afford home Internet access, personal computers, e-books, and e-readers will naturally turn to the public library for support and guidance. In the event that physical books or music compact discs are no longer available, a reallocation of funds and additional government support would allow public libraries to focus on e-book technology and personal computing needs, making the library the epicenter of technology education. A new age of e-books and e-readers could allow public libraries to focus all, or most, of their funding on educating the public about technology.

If public libraries within economically weak neighborhoods are motivated to become the hub of technology education, then librarians become key educators within the community, increasing the worth of the public librarian. Just as past librarians were needed to navigate shelves of books and reference materials, future librarians will be severely needed to navigate through digital information and tools. E-books and e-readers could increase the demand for tech-savvy librarians who want to educate those within the digital divide.

The reality is, at some point, all libraries will be forced to focus reasonable attention to e-book technology. Public librarians can look at this impending change as a way to provide and serve patrons who desperately need training, to prevent these patrons from falling deeper within the digital divide. Librarians can also view e-book technology as a technology that increases their worth and has a very positive impact on the profession.

Reference:

Augusto, Denise E. “The Digital Divide and Public Libraries: a first hand view.” Progressive Librarian, No.25, Summer 2005, 23-27.