Latest Activity

Dr.Stephen.G was featured
20 hours ago
Dr. U. PRAMANATHAN posted a discussion
21 hours ago
Surendra Singh left a comment for Arnica Kumari
22 hours ago
Profile IconAyushi kushwaha, Shyamghan Nayak, Raja Rajeshwari G and 1 more joined LIS Links
yesterday
Profile IconRamachandran K, KASTHURI PRIYA, Ashutosh Panigrahi and 1 more joined LIS Links
Monday
Dr. T. Raja updated their profile
Monday
N.Harilakshmi posted a discussion
Monday
Dr. U. PRAMANATHAN posted blog posts
Saturday
Dr. U. PRAMANATHAN posted discussions
Saturday
Dr. Ashis Biswas posted events
Saturday
Profile IconAshwini C, PILLI HARSHA, Uchenna Okafor and 3 more joined LIS Links
Saturday
Dr. Ashis Biswas might attend Dr. Ashis Biswas's event
Thumbnail

RESCOMM 2025: Research Communication Conclave at Ashoka University

December 17, 2025 at 9am to December 19, 2025 at 6pm
Friday
Parthasarathivamanan.K posted an event

International Conference at Hybrid Mode (Offline and Online)

December 12, 2025 at 9am to December 13, 2025 at 6pm
Friday
Dr. Ashis Biswas updated their profile
Nov 12
KUNAL GAURAV updated their profile
Nov 12
Profile IconRajasri Jayavel, SHEEBA S, MD NEYAZ HUSSAIN and 1 more joined LIS Links
Nov 11
A. A. T. Hasan posted a discussion
Nov 9
SWAPNA SOURAV is now a member of LIS Links
Nov 9
Dr. Yogesh Subhashrao Kantale updated their profile
Nov 8
Dr. U. PRAMANATHAN posted blog posts
Nov 7

If the first option is google, what will be the future of the library?" This tired question has been endlessly debated in the library community from about 1999 onwards. It reminds me of the buzz in the education community, back when computers were predicted to replace teachers outright, or the idea that VHS tapes would kill cinema attendance. The problem with this question is that it only looks at one facet of library services and forgets all others. It is not about "Google vs. the Library". What I think you are referring to is more about "Google vs. Ready Reference". The battle is over for that one - Google beats out library ready reference every time. 'Ready reference' describes questions such as "what is the population of Switzerland?" , or "How tall is the Empire State Building?"
The deeper levels of research require deeper analysis and casting a wider net. Scooping the first ten links off Google is not proper research. I'm not knocking Google - like everyone I use it constantly and it's fantastic at what it does. But it's not the magic bullet for everything research and it is not the destroyer of libraries. Real research means looking in several sources - books (physical or e-), journal articles, conference papers, archives, historical documents, etc. A Google search is also limited to the keywords you provide - and many times you are using ineffective keywords. Libraries present a browsing environment that brings together information you wouldn't have thought to search for. The collections of the world's libraries are incredibly rich and varied - and will only become more accessible to everyone as books and information are digitized. Everybody wins!
Libraries are becoming more proactive in presenting information, rather than waiting to be asked - particularly in academic environments. I predict that the Reference Desk might disappear, but libraries will not. Library staff will upskill and become more embedded in academic departments - essentially leaving the library environment and becoming information specialists for their "clients".
This "libraries vs. Google" question is so oversimplified, it overlooks the essential role of libraries in providing specialized services to their local communities. We are forgetting how libraries level the playing field in a less economically "fair" society, providing lifelong learning and information access to the less economically privileged. We are overlooking the importance of the library as a physical space, in a world where "third places" are becoming more important. These issues are so huge that I won't attempt to discuss them here. But to abandon the idea of libraries just because of sites like Wikipedia or the success of Google - that's just short-sighted.

Views: 277

Reply to This

© 2025   Created by Dr. Badan Barman.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service

Koha Workshop