What exactly is the "digital age" that we keep hearing about? It's a reference o the fact that seemingly everything that we do these days involves something electronic, something digital. Even if you refuse to get an e-reader, did you first check the B&N website to see if they had your book before you went down to the store? Think about the fact that the author more than likely wrote the book on his or her computer, not on a type-writer or by hand. Everything we do these days likely has some digital connection, intentional or otherwise.
So what does that mean for the libraries of today and tomorrow? It means increasing pressure to keep up with this past-paced technological world. Libraries have to have a website for patrons to browse. They have to have a catalog that you can search from home. They have to have a computerized catalog once you get there. Most libraries have at least a few e-book versions of some of their print books; many libraries have hundreds. Academic libraries have online access to academic journals through services like JSTOR and EBSCO. More than likely, a library will also have computers for you to use for your school project, work project, or just for you to browse with. They might even have laptops or e-readers for you to borrow. There is also the recent shift towards maker-spaces in public and school libraries. These are corners of the library that are spaces for creativity to flow; alot of them have advanced technology toys, like 3D printers or book-creating machines. All of these changes have come in the past decade or two. I can only wait to see what will come in the future! It will be exciting changes, hopefully.
Here is a list of my school's Online Databases as an example of the convenience that technology offers to academic libraries: http://www.palomar.edu/library/OnlineDatabases/databases.htm. You only have to log in to the proxy server from home, and away you go! Awesome.
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