In today’s technologically advanced world, it is assumed that libraries are vanishing and declining drastically. But that’s actually not the case; libraries in general are progressing over time. Kim Isaac worked at UFV’s library from 1989 until her retirement in 2021. She very kindly sat down for an interview on how libraries are still important and have evolved during her three-decade career.
Are libraries evolving or declining due to technology?
Technology has allowed us to expand and grow; there were 1,400 journal subscriptions in the early 2000’s, and they were all printed. But when I retired last year, we had 70,000 journals that were available online and easily accessible. Most of these journals were not obtainable, but the library staff made sure that they were available for the students so that they could easily log in and access these journals … It was a life saver for the institutions; it opened up opportunities.
Due to the restrictions set during COVID-19, the way local or public libraries are accessed has changed a lot. Did you notice any change in the level of in-person usage of the library in this virtual world?
In fact, over the years, the library went from this quiet place with a lot of print books to a place with more and more digital collections, and [has added] a lot of study space where people could sit to study or just talk. In addition, libraries would never be entirely replaced by technology because libraries have added many group and individual study spaces. In fact, people have been using more and more library services due to such modifications and appealing changes. Evidently, all this was pre-COVID-19 but even after the pandemic, students wanted to get in the library, as it became a safe learning and a social space for people.
In the coming years, do you think libraries will be entirely replaced by the internet or technological development?
Overall, libraries can never be entirely replaced by the internet or technologies because people are going to need professional assistance, services, and collections which libraries still provide. If people think libraries are dying, then they may have a very outdated outlook towards what libraries actually are and what they offer. Often people think of libraries more as a bunch of dusty shelves of books, which they never were and are currently far from that.
[The library] is a place where people can come together … Public libraries are a huge part of communicating with different people. People [don’t just] access books in the library; they communicate too.
Interview was edited for length and clarity.
Image: Laura Ayres / The Cascade
I am Priya Ghuman and I am a staff writer at The Cascade. I have a great interest in reading and sports, and I am a pianist as well. Lastly, I am an animal lover and I am always ready to volunteer and help anyone who is in need.
