Illustrations by Gabrielle Lamarr Lemee
The rise of Wikipedia spurred some to believe traditional books—and, in turn, libraries—would soon be a thing of the past. Instead, libraries now play an even greater role in bridging the generation gap and providing a vital resource during an economic downturn. And technology is transforming these public resources in myriad ways as well.
Beyond basic computer classes, the St. Louis County Library now has courses on “digital literacy” topics like online photo editing, using databases for Civil War research, and even how to use coupon codes and online discounts. In January, it unveiled a mobile app, SLCL Mobile, which lets patrons on most smartphones search the catalog, download e-media, and more. By mid-April, the app already had 4,100 downloads. “One of the key features is that it simplifies e-media downloads,” says St. Louis County Library communications manager Jennifer McBride. “That’s probably the fastest-growing part of our collection—in fact, last year, e-media usage was up 89 percent.” It’s an area that will continue to evolve. As the American Library Association’s 2012 State of America’s Libraries report points out, many libraries “only have limited access to e-books because of restrictions placed on their use by the nation’s largest publishers.” As demand grows, that could change.
The St. Louis Public Library has also continued to adapt. Besides hosting computer classes and helping patrons with online job searches, it’s added an Ask a Librarian service, and it continues to expand its collection of videos, audiobooks (available in WMA and MP3 formats), and e-books. And this fall, the renovated Central Library will include new data ports in its oak tables and building-wide Wi-Fi—a definite perk while working inside its new café.
