Librarianship dead? I think not

When asked how many students have had experience in a library setting, about half the class did not raise their hands, so not everyone was familiar with this field. This made me relax a bit because I have not had any experience or library internships at all.

Right when I got my acceptance letter for SU, I was a journalist, and about to accept another job as a copy editor in Oneonta. When I told my friends and family I was going to pursue a library and information science degree, numerous believed I was going from the dying journalism/newspaper field to another field with limited opportunities. However, after researching and physically being in last night’s first class, I’m going to prove my people wrong.

Libraries have been around for thousands of years. From ancient Egyptian libraries with diplomatic and royal scrolls to medieval monk illuminations to the digital library, the field has kept evolving. The idea that libraries are dead is not true; but the way information is used and presented has changed drastically. The general population does not fully comprehend and see this difference, yet.

Still, information will always be around, but they way it is presented has changed. The functions of libraries in the 21st century have changed. Because of the Internet, more and more information is found online. To keep with the trend, libraries are digitalizing books, artifacts and articles because people find information online. The important thing to remember is that patrons are still seeking information, but receiving it in a different method.

Because information is now moving online, some automatically assume books will not be around in the future, therefore, libraries and librarians will be eliminated. Once this innovation becomes the norm, I think people will realize that books may not be as popular, but librarians will still serve a purpose to help others obtain information.

Similarly, people think that newspapers are dying, but only the physical print publication is suffering. People still want and seek news, but they move to online publications for it. Journalists and bloggers create multi-media stories with photo slides, videos and articles. News is still presented to people, but again, the format and functions have changed.

Though print edition of books may be obsolete in a few decades, people will still hunt for information, but through a different format. We realize that knowledge and information are power, and we want to cultivate our minds and interests to the best of our abilities. Librarians, myself included, will help people understand and obtain information they require in the future, no matter what the current and popular method may be.