Libraries and Technology

There is no doubt that technology has had a lasting impact on libraries. Once thought to be going the way of traditional bookstores, libraries have rebounded and are thriving in a technology fueled world. With the help of innovation, re-imagination and vision, libraries are embracing new technologies while creating dynamic community centers filled with life. They are no longer a house of dusty books and card files; they are centers of creativity, research and collaboration...and they are free.

Technology has changed the expectations of library patrons; people today expect to be able to find and access information from wherever they are. This is why so many public library systems across the country have increased both computers for use inside the library as well as mobile and online access to e-books, audio books, research databases and archives. In 2010, nearly 300 million Americans used library services including onsite computers and onsite Wi-Fi to check out books, to attend workshops, and to consult with reference librarians.

Libraries are now hubs of technology with over 85 percent offering wireless internet services, and many offering state-of-the-art computers for use. But technology available to patrons does not stop there. Surveys show that currently 12 percent of academic libraries have pre-loaded E-reading devices in circulation that patrons can check out. Another 26 percent of academic libraries are considering adding this service. New (even book-free) libraries are popping up around the country, employing technology in ways most never envisioned:

• GPS apps that help locate material inside the library
• Mobile apps that allow patrons to access library services