Libraries still relevant

In an age when books, articles, and data are moving online at an ever-increasing rate, are libraries and librarians still relevant? Indeed they are, according to a recent article by Carolyn Feibel in the Houston Chronicle. As Houston librarian Saima Kadir points out, librarians have become teachers of digital literacy; they show beginners how to hold a mouse and sign up for e-mail, and they show more advanced users how to blog or navigate databases. Furthermore, the library provides free access to dozens of electronic resources. The Houston Public Library even offers a 24-hour online chat service.

Often, public libraries are re-creating themselves as community centers, offering computer and English classes, cafes, film festivals, and author readings, says former ALA president Leslie Burger, who directs the Princeton Public Library in New Jersey. "We refer to our library as the community's living room," she says.

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