Are libraries an endangered species?

摘要

When was the last time you stepped into your institution's library? A few weeks ago my son asked me to get him some books from the undergraduate library, and this stirred in me the desire to learn more about the current status of libraries. It is obvious that our "libraries" are moving from dedicated, stand-alone buildings into our computers and becoming portable. Are these changes helping or hurting our traditional libraries? Are libraries running the risk of becoming extinct?The UNESCO Institute for Statistics offers some interesting insights with respect to global public library usage. It seems that North Americans borrow only 0.7 books per person per year. The rest of the world fares only slightly better with 1.2 books per person, perhaps reflecting the fact that many countries are underserved and have fewer libraries. What is clear is that printed circulation in libraries worldwide is consistently decreasing as time goes by.