A library is a building or room containing collections of books
periodicals and sometimes films and recorded music for use or
borrowing by the public or members of an institution.
TYPES OF LIBRARIES.
There are four types of libraries:
1. Academic libraries: serve colleges and universities.
2. Public libraries: serve cities and towns of all types.
3. School libraries: serve students from kindergarten to grade
12.
4. Special libraries: are in specialized environments such as
hospitals, museums, military, private business and
government.
Nowadays, we rely heavily on the internet to get information in
our daily lives. However, does this information always give us
the correct answer? As you may know, search engines like
Google tends to provide us with information based on questions or
keywords posed by us, so the data we receive is not always
accurate. Fit instead we should rely on libraries. Libraries play a
fundamental role in learning, where librarians and other
resources and services help people access the information they
need.
As Eli B. Martin says: “because the internet is harder to classify
than the library catalog, there is good reason to believe that
core library services are becoming much more
important.”
In this article, you’ll discover five specific reasons why libraries
are essential and should be introduced to schools.
1. Libraries preserve history and more importantly truth.
Since the time of the ancient Roman Empire, libraries have
served the purpose of storing many different types of
information, such as historical, literary, musical, and
military documents. Despite the many changes and
innovations that have taken place over the past 2,000
years, libraries have retained their primary purpose to
provide students with the information they need and to
ensure that they are telling the truth. Whatever
information students are looking for, they can easily
access it with the help of well-trained and qualified
librarians. Therefore, librarians play an important role in
public libraries and academic libraries. Typically, their
duties include cataloging collections, development,
references services, establishing partnerships with
educational institutions, and providing guest speakers.
However, as many communities know, librarians do this
and more!
2. Libraries provide free educational resources public
libraries play an important role in supporting education
and literacy. They provide students and pupils with a
wealth of resources, such as educational materials,
training, courses, scientific publications, and more. Public
libraries not only provide in-person services, but some also
integrate online learning.
Additionally, several published studies have confirmed
that public libraries have significant importance in every
community by providing various services for educational
purposes. Today, customers visit public libraries to find out
what to read next, ask questions about job applications
and resumes, or fill out government forms including tax,
insurance documents, and medical. All of these questions
are answered for free by highly trained librarians.
3. Libraries help build community people go to the library not
only to find information but also to find themselves and
their communities. Mothers join baby story clubs; seniors
Attend events and find ways to connect people. While
teens meet with study groups in the library for team
building or school projects, and readers discuss current
events in the periodical’s rooms. Additionally, libraries
serve as community centers for diverse populations by
helping non-English speakers integrate into the
community. Therefore, public libraries often collect books
in many different languages and hire librarians or
multilingual staff. Additionally, for artists and art lovers,
public libraries can be a place to organize exhibitions and
promote themselves. One of the most important values to
mention is that public libraries provide access to the arts
for all, often for free.
4. Libraries are transparent with all the services they provide
piracy is a growing concern in today’s society. Data tracing
systems collect, compare, and share information that can
influence consumer confidence. However, all services
provided in public libraries are consumer-oriented. This is
why libraries don’t track your reading history or the
training courses you’ve attended. It is not in their field of
interest.
5. Libraries help develop the economy because libraries are
free to access, few people pay attention to their role in the
economy. Public libraries provide access to information on
business planning, market research, and funding
opportunities for entrepreneurs looking for a space to
network, conduct research, use technology, and organize
meetings. Although job requirements are changing rapidly,
it is still possible to upskill the workforce without spending
a lot of money. Technology in libraries can be innovative,
providing access to expensive fees, training and skills
which otherwise would not be accessible to everyone.
In every aspect, libraries play a fundamental role in
society. Public libraries provide educational and literacy
resources and services to anyone who needs or wishes to
access them. They help individuals expand their networks
and become part of the community. Therefore, people
need libraries that serve as a communal, community–
centered spaces that help them find information and
connect with others is unlikely to change anytime soon.
MRS.J. UADIALE
HOS AYOBO