During her student days, my mother used to search for meanings and answers by looking through encyclopaedias and dictionaries for school or college assignments. I, on the other hand, just have to press one button and internet provides me with all kinds of answers. I just click and everything pops up in front of my eyes, while the previous generation put in a lot of effort, searched through books and journals, went through quality material in the libraries, and worked hard.

Sadly, libraries have lost their status as the central destination for information seekers. With the advent of digital technology and internet, people now have access to a vast amount of information at their fingertips. Recent statistics have proven that users rely heavily, if not exclusively, on internet search engines for information.

No doubt, we are all becoming prisoners of, and succumbing to, this digital and computerised era. There is no harm in doing so, but everything needs balance in life. One must not forget the worth of information that libraries provide, so paying a visit to a library, checking rows of bookshelves and going through the age-old books has its own importance and charisma.

Tragically, there may come a time when the world’s legendary libraries may face the threat of extinction. There is no doubt the kind of services search engines, such as Google, Bing, etc, websites and apps offer, differ from that of libraries. Google has wildly succeeded in getting its users the information they want, with a minimum investment of time and energy. This obvious appeal of conveniently providing results on demand, in a matter of seconds, takes away the need to open a book or encyclopaedia.

Search engines and websites are handy, fast and easy to use; but they also have their drawbacks. You are stuck skimming the surface while mountains of information remain buried or locked behind paywalls. Doing research like this, you are on your own, surrounded by sources you cannot always trust and facts you cannot always verify. Sure, you can find great information, but you will have to double-check every fact and investigate every source.

In a situation like this, one can only turn to the library. The library gives easy access to a huge range of academic resources, and a great selection of not just print, but now also electronic and digital sources that you won’t find just by searching online, all of which are verified, paid for and ready to use free of charge or at a very nominal fee.

Libraries and the collections they contain have contributed to the shaping of people and nations, but in our modern age, we are moulded by search engines and websites, which have taken over our mobile phones and made their way into our households!

The survival of libraries in the modern era is a challenge that requires dedicated efforts and adaptability. Recognising the changing landscape of information seeking, libraries must proactively evolve to meet the diverse needs of their patrons. They must embrace digital technologies and continuously enhance their services. By remaining steadfast in their commitment to providing invaluable resources, libraries can defy the notion of inevitable extinction and continue to serve as vital institutions in our ever-changing world.

So dear friends, we need to wake up! Let’s not become slaves to search engines and apps, or our lives will be controlled by robotic computerised machines and we will stop using our brains. Help libraries flourish as our ancestors did. A library is a place where history comes to life. So, when in doubt, go to a library!

Published in Dawn, Young World, July 22nd, 2023