Libraries: the Impact of Information Technology and Computers

Advancements in technology have resulted in great advancements in Library Science--the resources of today's libraries now include computers and e-books as well as physical texts.

Advantages

• The number of resources available to libraries has expanded exponentially.
• Resources are now less prone to being unavailable due to being checked out.
• Documents too fragile or valuable for the public to handle are now more accessible to scholars and the public.
• E-books can be downloaded to reading devices, removing a lot of the issues associated with physical books--damage, theft, etc.
• Resources can be easily obtained, allowing patrons to save a significant amount of time previously spent with technologies like microfiche.

Disadvantages

• Many of the devices used to read resources are not optimized for long-term reading.
• New technologies might be more difficult for users with disabilities to access.
• Patrons used to older library services will have a learning curve to learn the new technology when the older technology is phased out.
• New technology, software, and licenses can be very expensive.
• Libraries now have to deal with the problems that come with technology: viruses, privacy issues, new forms of censorship, etc.