Do People Need Libraries in the Digital Age?

Where is the knowledge we have lost in information?”—T.S. Eliot, “The Rock” (1934)

Back when I was in college, I was elected librarian of the Harvard Lampoon in a contest that seemed unusually tight despite the fact that I think my run was uncontested. The undergraduate humor magazine is housed in a mock Flemish castle that dates back to 1909, and I was supposed to find funny books to stock the Lampy library, a quirky, circular chamber with a secret sliding bookshelf that opened up to a hidden room.

Libraries, for me, have always been portals to unexpected places, but in the coming years some of them could become casualties of the internet age. Much of this will be a topic of discussion at The Public Library Association’s (PLA) biennial Conference, set to be held next month in Indianapolis. Public school libraries are enduring budget cuts and staffing reductions. According to a Pew survey released in 2013, 54% of Americans ages 16 and older had personally used a library or library website in the past 12 months, down from 59 % the previous year. The American Library Association (ALA) reports that the use of library materials has increased in recent years, but recent numbers indicate that physical visits have dipped slightly.

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The library with no books and its head in the cloud

Tablets and ebooks have all contributed to a worldwide fall in book sales. Now, they’re changing the way libraries work.

At the Bexar County BiblioTech in Texas shelves of books have been replaced by rows of iMacs and iPads. BiblioTech is the world’s first public library which doesn’t contain a single book.

Since it opened at the end of last year, 14,300 people have registered and, on average, the library processes 100 new registrations every day.

Visitors can choose from 20,000 ebooks (the collection will grow constantly) and there are 600 basic ereaders available to borrow, in addition to 200 enhanced ereaders designed for children.

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Wizdoms Library Project

"Wizdoms Library Project" is promoted by a registered Charitable Trust (No: E 24230, India) to establish & administer Public Libraries of Global standard Worldwide under the brand name "WIZDOMS Libraries".
Wizdoms Libraries have been conceptualized and being established as series of well-structured Libraries in an integral manner with Wizdoms Central Library taking advantage of the modern technology with a view to reach out to every segment of society giving greater emphasis to rural sector and those not so fortunate.

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E-Resources

Online Dictionaries All Subject and Language Dictionary Longman Dictionary Merriam-webster Oxford Dictionary Business Dictionary Yauba Yourdictionary Gujarati-English Dictionary.