Libraries of the future: a brave new digital world
Since the rise of the internet, we have begun to move towards a world where most of the print-based information is being replaced by digital equivalents. It is evident that libraries have been in decline over the last two decades. Funding for libraries is scarce; government spending on public libraries is dropping tens of millions of pounds each year. Advances in technology have led to increased demands for digital information, and public libraries are one institution facing more competition than ever before. Should (or could) libraries also make a move to the digital world, or are they destined to disappear forever?
Tens of public libraries in the UK are closed every year. Closure is likely not only due to lack of resources , but also due to the apparent lack of demand; each year the number of people claiming to have visited a public library drops, reaching a record low of 31.4% in 2019 (a number that will have certainly dropped again over the course of 2020).
In contrast to this, digital lending of E-books and audiobooks from public libraries has seen a significant increase. 2020 has been a record year for digital loans, with a 33% increase across all formats. OverDrive (the leading digital platform for public libraries worldwide) has reported that, as of 2020, 102 libraries have made over 1 million digital checkouts.
A library’s purpose of preserving human culture and sharing information is unlikely to change if it were to become purely digital. However, the role of the public library is not just to provide books. Libraries are most often used by minority groups, for anything from a safe space to study or spend recreational time reading, to access to computers and an internet connection. They are often also a hub for community activities and events, often for free. If libraries make the move to be entirely based online, surely we will lose more than just the hard-copy books themselves?
On the other hand, with the increase of internet access in UK homes (96% of households had internet access at the start of 2020), moving online may make libraries more accessible to many people. By making libraries entirely digital, access will no longer be limited by geography or time (the internet is available 24/7, after all), and the cost of running libraries will be significantly decreased. By making E-book and audiobook access free through libraries, the financial barrier of services such as Audible would also be eliminated for those who rely on libraries for access to stories. As more of our communities and events move online to social media, even using libraries as a community space may become a thing of the past.
At present, the biggest barrier to digitalising libraries is the reluctance of publishers to grant libraries licence to distribute PDF’s of their books, often for fear of book piracy and the subsequent toll it may make on their sales. Publishers fear that e-books shared by libraries will be pirated, and impact the sales of both print and e-books. Some non-profits such as the Library Futures Institute are campaigning in favour of more access to E-books and digital resources for libraries. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic forcing the temporary closure of libraries across the country, some publishing houses have already relaxed their licensing to allow for more access to E-books and audiobooks through public libraries, to huge success (430 million digital checkouts across 65,000 schools and libraries worldwide).
The question is now: will the E-book market continue to support the digitalisation of libraries, or will licensing battles resume after the end of the pandemic? At present, it seems a move towards controlled digital lending may be the answer to saving our libraries.
- Albanese, A. (2021). A Reset for Library E-books. [Online]. Available at: https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/libraries/article/84571-a-reset-for-library-e-books.html [Accessed: 31/1/2021]
- Albanese, A. (2021). New Nonprofit to Advocate for Digital Content in Libraries. [Online]. Available at: https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/libraries/article/85412-new-nonprofit-launches-to-advocate-for-digital-content-in-libraries.html#:~:text=After%20months%20of%20planning%2C%20the,books%20and%20other%20digital%20content. [Accessed 30/1/2021]
- Albanese, A., (2021). OverDrive Reports Surge in Digital Library Lending in 2020. [Online]. Available at: https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/libraries/article/85253-overdrive-reports-record-surge-in-digital-library-lending-in-2020.html [Accessed: 31/1/2021]
- GOV.UK. (2019). Use of Libraries. [Online]. Available at: https://www.ethnicity-facts-figures.service.gov.uk/culture-and-community/culture-and-heritage/adults-using-public-libraries/latest [Accessed: 30/1/2021]
- Library Futures Institute. (2021). Ensuring a sustainable future for libraries: Announcing Library Futures. [Online]. Available at: https://www.libraryfutures.net/post/were-proud-to-announce-library-futures
- Prescott, C. (2020). Internet access — households and individuals, Great Britain: 2020. [Online]. Available at: https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/householdcharacteristics/homeinternetandsocialmediausage/bulletins/internetaccesshouseholdsandindividuals/2020 [Accessed: 30/1/2021]
- Statsita Research Department. (2020). Libraries in the United Kingdom — Statistics & Facts. [Online]. Available at: https://www.statista.com/topics/1838/libraries-in-the-uk/#:~:text=Library%20usage%20has%20also%20decreased,from%2048%20percent%20in%202005. [Accessed: 30/1/2021]
- Trivedi, M. (2010). Digital Libraries: Functionality, Usability, and Accessibility. Library Philosophy and Practice (381). [Online]. Available at: https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/17209482.pdf [Accessed: 30/1/2021]
