Check out a book

There is an article in today's Globe about libraries working to keep up with technological changes and patron whimsy. At several points in the article there are quotes that seem to imply that if libraries don't offer everything that a patron is looking for, they will become obsolete (the libraries, not the patrons - heh). I work in a library that helps K-12 teachers get materials for their classrooms and I am constantly being asked for print resources, things that teachers can show students. I am also increasingly asked for DVDs and videos for the classroom and, of course, for electronic resources to help kids interact with history a little more. I HATE being asked if being a librarian was a wise career choice. If anything, there is TOO MUCH information out there and no one has the time to assess all of it. Librarians do that on a daily basis and without people working in this field, I have this vision of people wandering around glassy-eyed and confused about where to start looking for the tools they need to get a job, log onto the Internet, find a primary source about the American Civil War, whatever. Libraries are becoming aggregators of all of the best tools available to info-seekers. And, it's all free (and don't give me the tax-payer line - you pay more in federal taxes to support the war in Iraq, and more in state taxes to support just about everything else going on in your city/town from pothole-filling to traffic cops to the salaries of the Oh-so-helpful town workers). So, for the love of freedom and the american way, go check out a book or hug a librarian.