Libraries in the Community

When libraries first began, books were scarce and expensive. Libraries were archives for information with books chained to tables. With the arrival of the printing press in the mid-15th century, books and information ceased being scarce and information technology began a journey that would become a dizzying ascendance. Between the advent of the radio early in the 20th century and the arrival of the web browser in the early 1990s, less than 100 years passed .The pace quickened and only eight years passed between the first primitive Internet search engine, Archie (1990), and the arrival of the now omnipresent Google (1998). Public libraries began offering Internet access in Maine in 1996 with 56K connections and one computer. Now public libraries in Maine have a minimum of 10 mbps connections with desktops, laptops, and videoconferencing units. Public expectations are also evolving at a rapid pace, and libraries and librarians must adapt to this fast rate of change.

By the late 19th century, the role of the library as an arbiter of Culture began to change as a flourishing market for mass leisure and cultural pursuits began to grow. Librarians responded to changing societal norms by offering popular fiction, newspapers, and periodicals in addition to literature. In the first half of the 20th century, libraries also began offering concerts, movies, and exhibitions to directly compete with the ““cheap amusements” of the time.

Libraries today continue to serve the ideals of free and open access to ideas and information and intellectual freedom. Above all, libraries continue to be attuned to meeting the needs of their communities. In the 21st century, libraries are encouraged to be the center of community life, going beyond traditional services, to be community builders and places where people get involved.

Currently, libraries offering business services do so in varying degrees. Many offer the traditional business books, databases, and small business classes. Some make office equipment such as computers, phones, fax machines, printers, and copiers available, often charging only minimal amounts to defray the cost of paper and toner or printer cartridges.