rural libraries readings

Service Trends in US Public Libraries: This article looked at a ten year survey of patron usage in urban and rural areas.

The thing that is easiest to see, especially in regard to rural libraries, is the increase in PCs/library visits, and the decrease in circulations. In so many ways this shows how libraries are staying vital in these changing times of technology. I also appreciated that the authors pointed out that clearly urban and rural library users have different library needs, and should be approached as such.

Changes in Rural Libraries and Librarianship: This article is a summary of a survey done with rural librarians in 2000 and 2007.

It was fairly exciting to see how many of these librarians view their role as being part of their geographic community, and helping it. I was further stoked to see that librarians found their jobs to be fulfilling and intellectually stimulating. What I found to be odd or perhaps troublesome- especially in the context of the last article- was that only 26% in 2000 and 36% in 2007 thought they needed to embrace and focus on technology. I think a lot of rural librarians are really behind the times. Just in terms of watching librarians and library workers at Bloomfield, people with no ability to even try trouble shoot technology concerns with patrons. I think that's a real problem, and while I think it's a recognized one, I think a lot of librarians who aren't keeping up with the times are clinging to their jobs- which makes sense considering that one of the biggest problems rural librarians have is that they're under paid, who's got the money to retire?

Cooperation in Rural Libraries: This article looked at one librarians experience working in rural libraries and how technology has changed it over their career.

This article has a very exciting and optimistic view of what the internet can provide for library users, and I'm not saying it's wrong. But I think it's too easy. Yes the internet does make it possible for me to find the world's knowledge, but without the right technology to connect users, and an understanding of different portals of the internet, you won't get very far. So if rural librarians aren't technology literate, don't know what basic technology needs have to be met within the library, then having an internet connection won't do much. However when thinking about rural libraries and cooperation, it brought to mind Evergreen and Indiana. I think Evergreen is pretty incredible is how it has expanded every single library's collection that has joined it. Right now there's maybe two graphic novels within Indiana Evergreen, and Bloomfeild just got it's budget redone so they'll be buying 2 graphic novels a month this year, that's 24 graphic novels that will be available to almost all of Indiana. That's pretty amazing, that one library's collection will be available to patron's all around this state.

One final note about technology in rural libraries: Out In The Country is a book by Mary Gray (an IU prof) looking at the experiences of rural queer youth in Kentucky. One major thing she looks at is the role of library's technology for these teens. Most rural communities don't have LGBT centers or even out role models, rural queer youth need the internet to find resources on queer identity and experiences. A lot of people in rural environments don't have the funds for internet in their homes (if high speed internet even reaches to their communities); so libraries really are the places that queer youth go to find out about queer is. Rural libraries need to have private spaces (even just turning the computers towards the wall) and make sure their internet filters aren't blocking out useful LGBT resources, and in a dream world they would all have useful websites and resources readily available on their website for queer youth.