Letter: Disappearing librarians one more blow to human interaction

Reader says replacing librarians with self-serve machines isolates people.

Photograph by: Calgary Herald

Saturday was a sad day for me. My local library has gone self-serve. In the
exact location where the librarians used to stand, I now stare at a self-serve machine. This was so upsetting to me, that I actually forgot the last four digits of my phone number.

In the past, when they suggested I use the optional self-serve machine, I always refused,
thinking, "I have a 21st century, sit-in-front-of-thecomputer-type-job.
What I really want is to be able to talk to you. I want the possibility of hearing you say, 'Oh, that book looks interesting' or 'I've heard about this book'." Read more...

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Libraries and librarians are more relevant than ever in the digital age

Harold Washington library in Chicago.

The need for libraries, and librarians has been placed under scrutiny due to the advent of the internet. Everything in print is now available online.  So do we really need physical libraries and librarians anymore?  Of course we do…now, more than ever before.

NOTE: To learn more about the future of libraries, check out some of the columns by Futurist Thomas Frey. Read more....

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Librarians in the 21st Century: Designing a Career Strategy for Evolving Roles and Opportunities by Lisa Chow

Librarians in the 21st Century: Designing a Career Strategy for Evolving Roles and Opportunities

by Lisa Chow, People-Centered Design Advocate and Librarian at People Interact Consultancy on Oct 17, 2013

Librarians in the 21st Century: Designing a Career Strategy for Evolving Roles and Opportunities from Lisa Chow

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Christian Zabriskie: Libraries in New York City: Why We Give a Damn and Why You Should Too

Libraries and librarians play unique roles in the cultural fabric of New York City.

We are, in our small neighborhood libraries, a kind of secular clergy, a trusted ear and an unbiased source of information and support to anyone who walks in the door. This is the compact we have at the deeper levels of our engagement with our communities past the bestsellers and free internet. There is a web of trust. Our users know, or should know, that they can come to us with issues and concerns and that we will leverage our best abilities to their ends. No matter what crazy crap is going on in your life the librarian will figure it out and set you up with at least some better understanding and a direction to go in.

If this all sounds a lot like hyperbole to you then you are probably middle class, college educated, and white. Read more...

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Communities Stand Behind Librarians Facing Layoffs

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