The Importance and Utility of Libraries in the Digital Age

Maulana Muhammad Sanaullah Qasmi, Vice President, Imarat-e-Sharia, Patna
Libraries are a place where we collect books of all kinds, including academic, literary, national, social, cultural, and sanitary, which is why they are called libraries or book houses. According to a study, the history of libraries dates back around 4,000 years. Libraries provide people with books to read, and this provision is for both reading on-site and borrowing books to take home. In these libraries, experts in various fields are employed as librarians to assist visiting researchers, making it easier for library readers to find and organize information. Libraries and readers are interdependent, and libraries play a vital role in the academic development of individuals. You can understand the cultural trends and preferences of an area through them. There are historical libraries around the world that serve as references, where you can benefit from rare manuscripts and handwritten treasures. It is evident that libraries have been instrumental in the intellectual and academic development of society since ancient times.

The increasing number of books has made it easier to access them through digital means, i.e., electronic devices. It is said that the idea was first conceived by Paul Otlet and Henri La Fontaine in 1885. Vannevar Bush and J.C.R. Licklider advanced it with their hard work and efforts, considering the current technology. In 1956, the Ford Foundation provided Licklider with significant financial support to explore how technology could improve libraries. Consequently, he worked on it and, after nearly a decade of research, presented his theory in a book titled "Libraries of the Future," stating that libraries could be improved with the help of computers and networks. He divided library objectives into three parts: acquiring knowledge, questioning, and answering. Licklider called it a prognostic system. By 1980, this effort had started to bear fruit, with the first example being the Resources Information Center (ERIC) developed in 1964. The second experiment was made available online by DILOG in 1969. In 1994, NASA and NSF expanded it, and scholars began to receive a large amount of material through digital libraries.

We are living in a digital age, and the availability of the internet, e-books, online journals, education, and digital databases has reduced attention towards printed magazines, journals, newspapers, and libraries. Large libraries are available online, and there is no shortage of online libraries like Riwaq and Maktaba Shamilah. With just a click, you can access the information you need. Considering this, someone has said that this is the last century of books. However, the reality is that relying too heavily on online available material can lead research and criticism astray, and if you do not cross-check the information yourself, it can be misleading. Those who copy and paste articles from chat forums like WhatsApp without verifying the information are, in fact, closing the doors of knowledge and research for themselves.

This highlights the importance, usefulness, and necessity of books and libraries, enabling us to verify correct phrases, meanings, and concepts through books. If a researcher or critic presents their argument without referencing the original book, it can lead to a pile of errors. Libraries remain a reliable source for authentic information, academic guidance, and educational resources.

The digital age has made it easier to access information, and it is essential that libraries also provide access to digital resources, research papers, and online databases. This way, users can access information and verify it through original books. The information provided through digital means is often unverified and incorrect, and efforts should be made to provide accurate information to users. To achieve this, libraries should not be limited to just being a place for reading and storing books. Instead, they should provide training to students, teachers, and researchers on how to access information from digital libraries and databases. This will increase people's reliance on libraries, expand their scope, and make them a hub for academic activities, research assistance, and information literacy. The culture of reading will grow, and the use of modern technology will become more accessible.

Despite this, libraries face significant challenges, including the need to update their technical systems and services. This cannot be achieved through good intentions alone; it requires resources and funding for digital infrastructure, software, online subscriptions, and modern equipment. The problem in government libraries is not the allocation of funds but their proper utilization. The corruption, nepotism, and unnecessary expenses in government libraries divert attention from their primary purpose. On the other hand, private libraries in remote villages are providing excellent services but face a shortage of resources. They struggle to pay for newspapers and librarians' salaries, as they do not receive any funds for library services. The people involved in library services bear these expenses out of their own pockets, driven by a passion for service. However, they cannot afford to provide digital infrastructure, and the membership fees are negligible, as the literate population is mostly urban, and the rural areas have a smaller number of book lovers.

If digital devices are somehow made available in libraries, the complexities and legal restrictions related to copyright and licensing become a hurdle. In such cases, libraries need to continuously innovate to provide instant access to new books. Protecting digital systems and their repositories from hacking, viruses, and cyber threats is also a significant challenge.

For the survival of books and libraries in the future, it is essential that libraries combine traditional books and digital resources to become a comprehensive service center. Artificial intelligence (AI), cloud computing, and digital archiving can make library systems more effective in the new era. Personalized services, online consulting, and virtual reference services can also attract readers. Organizing seminars, symposia, poetry recitals, and other literary and non-literary programs in libraries can also enhance their importance. By doing so, libraries will not just be a place for reading but will emerge as centers for research, innovation, collaboration, and creative activities, and their services will expand.