The age of the micro portable computer is upon us, and the iterations are vast. Everyone has a phone, tablet or laptop and many of them have more than one. The age of information is upon us and with this new age libraries need to become more than just a place where patrons can check out books. People are moving away from reading paper or physical books and would like everything delivered in a digital fashion. The have e-readers that they would like to check out books on, phones, tablets and laptops that they would like to access the internet with. The opportunity for a library to provide services much greater than their collection has become a reality.
Libraries can and should take advantage of "extra workstations", supplying internet is enough for most people to access all of the library's digital tools and collections.
The millennial is not focused on the collections at the local library. “77% [of patrons] say free access to computers and the internet is a very important service of libraries.“ (pewinternet.org) With this new reality the services that the library renders has grown. They now offer services for e-check out of virtual materials, e-books, e-magazines, and e-newspapers. Patrons do not come into the library to access these services, but choose to access them through the internet. The stacks and collection of the library are growing 10 times year over year as materials are made available virtually.
The expansion of new materials, music, movies, and online services are now available through services provided by companies like Overdrive. Their company monicure is “Borrow eBooks, audiobooks, and more from your local public library - anywhere, anytime. All you need is a library card.” (Overdrive.com) No longer is it necessary for a patron to come in to the library.
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| Electronic media can enhance the library experience; complimenting, not replacing, a collection of books. |
Libraries have begun to offer a new set of services to aid in the access to these services. They provide free internet services, access to computers. One library in Fallbrook, CA offers Laptop checkout for patrons to enjoy access to the internet or cloud services to complete their studies.
BYOD, or bring your own device, has changed the library in ways that were not predictable. It now behooves the librarian to make use of them to give their patrons the best set of services that they can.
http:// overdrive.com
http://libraries.pewinternet.org/2013/01/22/library-services/
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