What is Your Preferred Method of Learning New Information?

Thank you for participating in my poll. According to the results, the preferred method of learning new information seems to be the Internet. As of today, 58% of those polled chose the Internet. The library and TV each received 11%, while other people received 17% of the votes. I find this very interesting considering the participants in this poll are all current or future librarians. What does this mean for the future of our libraries? Will the Internet take over?

Virginia Steel, director of libraries at Washington State University (WSU), says that there is a perception that library use is way down, but that is not so at WSU. A survey from 2001 showed that 41% of students visited at least once a week (Foss, 2002). Of course, many of these students are coming to use the computers, but not all. Students are coming to the library to study. Traditional resources are also being used. As a matter of fact, 33% of WSU's circulation items have been checked out over the past five years.

Steel is concerned that students believe everything they find on the Internet. She says that "everyone needs occasional guidance in looking for and trusting information, something she fears is not available with independent online searches" (Foss, 2002, p. 1). Trained librarians should be able to identify credible resources and help their patrons in this process.

I believe that librarians are teachers too. We should be there to guide patrons on their quest for information. The beginning of Foss's article talks about a billboard showing the appalled face of a young student whose computer screen shows over 9 million results for his search (2002). This is a perfect example of how overwhelming the Internet can be without help or guidance. Who better to help or guide than a librarian?

To be perfectly honest, I have been there. Haven't we all? I have felt lost in a sea of never-ending search results. Sometimes I was unable to find even one good source out of the millions of hits, not that I actually looked through all of these! I feel that my search skills have become a little more refined after learning some tips as a first semester library student. I am hoping that I will become more skilled as my training goes on so that I will be able to effectively guide my students on their quest for information.

Will the Internet take over the library? I would venture to guess that the library will continue to change, but will not go away. What do you think?

Foss, R. (2002, February 22). Library vs. Internet: Online research grows, challenges role of WSU's traditional libraries. WSU Today. Retrieved March 1, 2008, from http://www.wsu.edu/nis/libraryvsinternet.html

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