Who in this digital age still goes to libraries?
We are presently in an era where we can just Google anything and get what we need in a matter of seconds, we can download books online, theres the YouTube tutorials. Today, nobody really have the time to go sit somewhere in a dusty room flipping pages of books. Information is now everywhere, we have phones, laptops and the social media. So, are libraries still needed or it should be scrapped.
Libraries to me aren't an exciting place to be/go, then, to me, libraries are just buildings stocked with books. You either go to the library and found it empty, or find some students reading for exams, that is very rare though, my dad was once a librarian, so I know what am saying. No one really went there for the love of books, they only go there because some exams are around the corner, exams like the WAEC( West African Examination Council), JAMB(Joint Admission And Matriculation Board) was around the corner. Even with that, many still preferred reading this small book called “key points” over reading full textbooks. With all these, can we say libraries are a waste of space?
But, the library is more than just books, libraries are quiet spaces, somewhere that frees one from this noisy world, somewhere you can pay full attention, somewhere we can really breathe. Today, distractions are everywhere, you wants to reqd on phone/online and your phone kept popping up messages, showing you ads, reels and all, the media drags us into various things that keeps us scrolling for hours, but the library helps us focus, helps us stay attentive, helps us really grab that which we are after.
Am not saying informations are not online, there are a lot if information on the internet than we even know, but then, do we all have equal access to it? And aside that, the price of data has skyrocketed, networks are frustrating atimes also, and yes, even in this digital age. The cost of living is high, the economy kept on fluctuating, but then, the library gives free access, there are books, educative materials, and most importantly, a space where you can learn without distractions. Sitting to read in a library won't ask you to quickly minimize and respond a message that would later lead to hours of king talks, libraries won't pop up ads and all.
Its true that we barely use them (libraries), but the money used in running it shouldn't go into something else, we can spice things up, libraries aren't useless, its not just that interesting. I think if we spice things up, libraries will definitely be go to places, if libraries were to be running certain free skills, skills like...graphic designs, coding, video editing, forex trading and some valuable things, do you think it will remain or stay unpatronized, just imagine there are mentorship programs. People will visit, read, learn and all.
Libraries can be centers for creativity and innovation, does not stop it from being a library. I saw a video, don't know which country it was, the library there had a digital studio and a gaming section I think, it also has interactive spaces, where discussions and interactions happens, we can do the same, especially Jere in Nigeria, we won't just go to read but also to build self and build skills.
The world has grown, libraries should too. We don't need them(libraries) to be fewer, we need them to be better. We should make libraries fit into the modern world, we should invest in making libraries relevant again, they can bridge the knowledge gap, provide equal opportunities, and allow for deep learning in a world that is becoming more shallow by the day.
The libraries are still needed, by who?... students who can't afford data every time needs it, job seekers who needs a quiet place to prepare, entrepreneur who needs access to resources but can’t afford expensive courses, writers who needs a peaceful environment to think, curious kids who couldn't afford books at home, and lastly, the society needs it.
The world has really changed, and libraries are one of the few places that still has spaces left in them, shouldn't we make good use of it?