ANSWER: Why do we need librarians and libraries anymore now that we have the Internet?

These answers come not from Radical Reference, but from contributors to the Library Underground discussion list, some of whom have participated in Radical Reference.

1. From John J. Ronald
   
   I hope you were able to convince your questioner. This seems like one of those Frequently-asked-Questions where it pays to have some immediate talking points memorized so that you can spout off some key points effortlessly (or maybe ALA should publish little "quick facts" cards like other advocacy groups do, that members can carry around with them?).
   
   some obvious points, which I'm sure you raised:
   
   
   1. not everything is on the Internet
      
   2. not everything on the Internet is reliable, nor free-of-charge. The more reliable, comprehensive and accurate such information is, the more likely it will be proprietary and for a fee. Libraries purchase access to such resources for the entire community, which no one individual could afford on their own.
      
   3. not everyone can afford a home computer for personal use, and employers frown on use of company time & resources on personal surfing--indeed it can get you fired if you abuse it. Libraries offer computer use to those who would not otherwise have access to the online world at all.
      
   4. Libraries help foster community; the Internet sometimes does, but it can also increase alienation; it's a double edged sword compared to libraries.
      
   5. The Internet is sometimes "good enough" for certain basic information needs, but it is wholly inadequate for any but the most superficial kinds of research.
      
   6. Information found in libraries is painstakingly collected and organized by ethical librarian who is always looking out for the library's users first. The librarians seek to provide a wide, representative sample of multiple perspectives on controversial issues and to support personal interests of the community (information on favorite hobbies, do-it-yourself manuals, job-seeking info, etc), and provide relaxing leisure reading. Librarians will try to warn you about innacurate or misleading information if possible; with the Internet, you're on your own.
      
   7. It all boils down to the fact that libraries make available to any given community a plethora of information resources that few individuals in that community could afford to own by themselves. {Don't shove the S-word (socialism) in their face, but don't deny or run from it either, as smart-ass libertarians will call you on it}
   
   Oh, one mantra I like (and put on my CV webpage--which I need to update, I know) is:
   Data is not Information.
   Information is not Knowledge.
   Knowledge is not Wisdom.
   
   It's perhaps a little cryptic, but I think it points, in a poetic way, to
   the shortcomings we'd face in an "all-digital, all-the-time" world.

This person gave permission for her post to be published but didn't say if I could use her name.

With the proliferation of information available both electronically and in print (as more books are being printed today than ever before), librarians and libraries are even more necessary to help users search, find, and verify the validity of information in all its various forms. While computers are rather ubiquitous in middle to upper class society, most people in the United States and elsewhere do not have a computer... much less access to subscription only information. In addition to this, not everything is available online and should anything happen to the power or servers that provide or contain this information, we would be at a loss without print information.

.....
This is what I say and I expand upon each point as necessary. I have also gotten this question and am therefore prepared. While each part of this is true, I usually talk about the first one the most. The fact that more information = more need for librarians (since often people don't care about others or think about disaster situations) usually gets people agreeing with me when put into that context. People don't know how to create complex, or even good, search strategies and people don't know how to evaluate the information they get.

From Rachel Holt

In business this is called the "elevator speech," as in, the way you explain your worth to that VIP you happen to meet in the elevator before the door opens.

Anyhoo, my answer would be that getting rid of libraries and librarians now that we have the Internet would be like getting rid of all directional signs and stoplights after building a brand-new highway system. Yes, the new highways are pretty and shiny and go everywhere. You're still going to need guidance and control in order to get where you need to go. Libraries and librarians provide that same kind of framework for the Internet, keeping patrons from becoming completely lost.

From Kate Pohjola

I've been asked this very question multiple times over the past few months. All of the libraries in my county are on the ballot tomorrow for a millage renewal and an increase. We did our last big campaign "push" this weekend at a local parade and festival, and a Gentleman approached me while we were waiting to be seated for dinner. He saw our t-shirts (with the millage campaign's slogan plastered across the back) and said "my dad and I were just having a discussion about the library... why, in this age of the Internet, would we need a library when we can do research at home?"

I was actually kind of proud of my answer. I borrowed some lingo from a Thomson Gale presentation I saw this spring, and talked about the "deep web." I told him how he can use Google and find things, but that he can find MORE if he comes to the library. I was able to tout our full-text database subscriptions as well as our extensive microfilm collection of the local paper that goes back into the 1800s. I reiterated that while Google and search engines are nice, not EVERYTHING is online, and books and other materials may still be VERY useful, especially for historical information. I used the example of our local newspaper - it's archived online for maybe 10 days, and after that users have to pay $2.95 per article to get the full-text. Our databases are free to patrons and the archives span YEARS.

I digressed a bit from research and mentioned that it's hard to curl up with a monitor to read, and that Google can't run a preschool story hour, and the guy laughed and said "okay, you've sold me." Hopefully that's really the case and he votes "YES" tomorrow (:

This person gave permission for her post to be published but didn't say if I could use her name.

I think I would take a slightly different approach than what others have said. I would tell the person that I couldn't imagine being a librarian without the Internet. I would also point out that the Internet is just another online database (like DIALOG, which we all learned pre-Internet), and that librarians will take more and more of a role behind the scenes with access, organization, and collection development. The question of having print books is separate to me. Print will always exist for government documents, historical works, art, and reports. However, I do believe that it is up to modern librarians to make their collection as widely available as possible, 24/7. We need to work with the Internet, not fight it.

I see my role now as teaching patrons to research and effectively sift through the myriad of information that they find [I work for a non-profit with a national mandate, so I am not used to a drop-in library]. Libraries have to be seen as more than just a space. Even I often question why professional librarians sit on a reference desk and answer the most mundane questions. Much library work can be done by library technicians and paraprofessionals.

From Elena O'Malley

I'm going to delete the rant I just typed. But here's a few other points that maybe other folks haven't covered:

1. Children. Libraries are really useful to people with children.
   
2. Educational videos and CDs that won't break the bank.
   
3. Some libraries provide free museum passes, which is a nice perk.
   
4. If you have roommates or family, the library can provide a semi-quiet place to work.
   
5. We give people who are homeless a place to go during the day.
   
6. We're often the only ones who bother to keep records of genealogical significance.
   
7. We're a safeguard against people rewriting or disappearing history, or at least we try to be.
   
8. We often provide local community groups with a free place to meet.

Alternatively, just tell her that the answers to her question, ironically enough, can be found on the Internet. Tell her to ask for a librarian for help if she can't find it. (I'm serious -- search Google for "don't need the library" internet.)