Fast paced, and evolutive, technology has been advancing in huge steps, bringing alone new developments and modern ways on how people live their lives. For instance, reading, a fundamental part of education, is changing. In the past, most people needed the services of a library: either to look for reliable sources of information, a quiet place to focus, or access to media and equipment. However, in actuality, this has been incredibly transformed with —the almost globalized— use of new technological advances such as eBooks, devices designed exclusively for reading electronic versions of books. Of course, it cannot be neglected that our society is advancing with technology making our lives easier, but, as much as these tools are convenient to …show more content…
In an Illinois library’s calendar of events (source B), a list of endeavors and activities are shown and scheduled in such variety of fields that demonstrate how libraries are not only places where to get books from, or read, but also serve as safe and open environments to all kinds of knowledge and embracing of ideas. From reading summer-challenges for kids to seniors entertainment visits, and all in-between. Libraries are spaces available to all public disregarding age, race, or sex that contributes to their learning field and healthy social interaction, something that technology may still be restricted to do, mostly when it comes to reaching out to the all-age users that include kids and seniors. This also shows how libraries contribute to society with the big participation that librarians take in assisting individuals by providing guidance and support as shown in the results of a research made in 2012 (source …show more content…
In an interview, Nancy Kranich, the president of the American Library Association, asserts that in order to sustain our democracy and preserve our society, all public should be allowed to access and keep track of our civilization’s past and current ideas, interests, and knowledge, in order to get informed opinions and enrich themselves with reliable information and social blueprints (document A). These functions had come to be the purpose of libraries for more than 3 centuries: to provide an open space where all individuals can share and express their ideas freely and feed themselves with valuable information that will ensure our development and guide its path to progress, while studying the past and applying these concepts to the future. Libraries have remained relevant back then and they are likely to be still as imperative
In addition, textbooks are heavy to carry around and it takes longer to find a page. Likewise with digital textbooks they are compatible with tablets, smartphones, and laptops; it’s much easier to carry around and affordable price. However, some people may argue that digital textbooks can be a distraction for people because they would not bother read anymore. The author and poet Dana Gioia argues that electronics alternatives may be a bad influence that will lead society to not read anymore. Gioia complicates matters further when she writes, “While no single activity is responsible for the decline in reading, the cumulative presence and availability of electronic alternatives increasingly have drawn Americans away from reading” (161). I think Gioia is mistaken because she overlooks on electronics being a bad influence; but doesn’t see the benefits of electronics. To demonstrate, most of my textbooks are digital, which I can easily carry my tablet around where ever I go. Also, I save more money on digital textbooks and are simple to annotated the text. Journalist Ellen Lee interview a student from Liberty University, and he states that he prefers digital textbooks because he can tap his iPad, opens the digital copy and quickly open the page. Nevertheless, he also like digital textbooks because it has a feature that allows to highlight and mark the
“Can we keep our libraries?” Smith takes the position on behalf of all of the library activists, stepping out of his point of view, and assimilating his viewpoint to speak for the people’s as well. She specifically uses the word “we” to make the audience feel included and apart of the movement to keep libraries. Rather than only referring to only statistics and evidence, Smith appeals emotionally to the audience, emphasizing that we are humans, not robots, and there is something intrinsic about the library that should not be taken away. Additionally, she utilizes a literary technique of allegory to portray an abstract idea as a form of character, illustrating Mr. “Notmytaxes” as the notion of people that do not want to pay for libraries because they do not use them in the first place. She brings out a “call to action”, asking the authorities to think more seriously about the consequences and bring more weight into their
The article “The North West London Blues” argues that public libraries still remain an important part of the society and should be preserved. There is no doubt that she is, in fact, a part of the minority who has the same opinion due to the reason that most people tend to prefer electronics over physical copy of books, especially the younger ones. Therefore, it is important for the author to use persuasive methods to gain more support. The author, Zadie Smith, uses evidence, reasonings, and stylistic elements in order to gain support.
If you had the choice between your phone and a book,you would probably without thinking grab your phone. But what if you knew that reading is crucial to a future. In “Reading for pleasure Is in Painful Decline” by Stephen L. Carter and “Twilight of the books” by Caleb Crain, both authors argue about the state of reading in The United States. Within both passages they give valid points as to why and how the state of reading are negatively affecting the country. Stephen L. Carter represents how the decline in reading for fun is the main concern, while on the other hand, Caleb Crain shows it’s technology and social media that actually are the main contributors.
Despite the world being full of diverse people with varying accomplishments and skill sets, people oftentimes assume the qualities and traits of an individual based purely on the stereotypes set forth by society. Although these stereotypes are unavoidable, an individual can be liberated, empowered and ultimately overcome these stereotypes by obtaining an advanced education.
It is said that Western civilization had been primarily male dominated and as a result as diminished the feminine. Women’s roles in society have changed drastically over the past decades. While it took much time, progress for women’s rights has blossomed. Influences in civilization have affected view points of the commonly held mores, expectations, and stereotypes which define gender.
Television has affected every aspect of life in society, radically changing the way individuals live and interact with the world. However, change is not always for the better, especially the influence of television on political campaigns towards presidency. Since the 1960s, presidential elections in the United States were greatly impacted by television, yet the impact has not been positive. Television allowed the public to have more access to information and gained reassurance to which candidate they chose to vote for. However, the media failed to recognize the importance of elections. Candidates became image based rather than issue based using a “celebrity system” to concern the public with subjects regarding debates (Hart and Trice). Due to “hyperfamiliarity” television turned numerous people away from being interested in debates between candidates (Hart and Trice). Although television had the ability to reach a greater number of people than it did before the Nixon/Kennedy debate, it shortened the attention span of the public, which made the overall process of elections unfair, due to the emphasis on image rather than issue.
There is no doubt, that literature has taken a back seat in the digital age. In a 2013 article for the Wall Street Journal, a top store executive for Barnes and Nobles revealed that the company expects to close twenty stores a year over the next decade. But Barnes and Nobles isn’t alone. Bookstore chains across the country are suffering the same losses. Consumers are choosing online book retailers like Amazon or opting out of reading altogether. These recent [trends?] are evident of a startling reality: people don’t read anymore.
In the video, on libraries in the digital age, we see exactly what Mitchell was referencing, its a world where digital media will outlive their physical counterparts to the point where libraries will be more akin to museums than places to go to discuss works of literature and pieces. As Mitchell states there no longer needs to be a place to meet physically, when scholars can meet up
Another shift was seen within the academic libraries, from user instruction to focusing more on the information literacy side by the 1980’s As Juskiewicz and Cote (2014) describe, “by the mid -1980’s academic libraries began to shift instruction from user instruction of the physical library to information literacy programs” (p.9). Throughout the 1900’s, library instruction changed and shifted, helping to create a way for present day librarians to teach and focus on patrons’ needs. “For years library instruction served as a baseline training model to teach the basics of information literacy concepts to students” (Massis, 2011,p.275). With the changes that have happened and continue to take place, what is the outlook now on library instruction? It is constantly evolving and “many instruction librarians would answer that we are in a period of transition” (Juskiewicz and Cote, 2014, p.11).
It is apparent by looking at a library’s schedule that it’s oftentimes bustling with activity. In Illinois, public libraries have forty seven events planned over a two week period (Source B) - many of which are group activities - community activities. Libraries sponsor a strong community with these activities, and with the decline in popularity of printed books, it would be beneficial for libraries to become even larger community centers - discussions and teaching abound! Perhaps, too, new technology can be introduced this way, allowing people to try out something
With technology progressing from drones fulfilling shipments to electronic books becoming cheaper, major companies such as Apple and Amazon have had a big impact on not only the tech industry but the publishing industry as well. Companies are outputting resources like IBook’s and the Kindle bookstore to take full advantage of the transition to digital publishing. As a result of this we have greener, more budget friendly books, and outdated traditional copies of text. With the introduction to these resources it is making the lives of students and the mass market more convenient. Students are now able to purchase books on one device that won’t weigh their bags down on a daily basis. Companies have created bookstores that can be accessed from devices that we use every day, resulting in paperless copies of books that are substantially cheaper than the traditional hard copy. E-books are replacing physical books and textbooks rapidly, and as a result they are becoming more widely and readily available for students.
One of the primary goals behind the creation of public libraries is their expected ability to help minimize the gap between the rich and the poor, or the educated and the illiterate (Jaeger, Gorham, Sarin, & Bertot, 2013). To achieve this, libraries needed to host content that was curated to help provide educational material that also represented the social norms and values (Weigand, 1999). In other words, libraries were expected to serve as the hotspot where the public could educate themselves using resources that were not readily available elsewhere. However, as the history of libraries in the US suggests, the way public libraries provided resource to their users have taken several transformations reflecting the influence not only of those
Getting educated is one of the most important things in life when it comes to getting a good future. By developing good knowledge of schooling, it helps establish and maintain new information as needed throughout the real world. As books are one the essential tools in learning, eBooks are being used in a everyday lifestyle. Traveling to get away places from city life, helps give reading a comforting feel. Students that use print books are eventually going to use ebooks in the future. By educating students with ebooks, it is more efficient than carrying textbooks; ebooks is more convenient and reliable to read, write and store notes. Print books are being replaced by eBooks, it helps on keeping files together and it makes notes
Some years ago, with the arrival of digital technology, the process of reading has been changed to make it easier for everybody; therefore digital books are replacing the actual physical books. In spite of the fact that paper books and digital books are very similar in some ways, such as tittle pages, copyright page, covers, chapters or tables of contents; they present a visual and a sensory difference. In fact, they have a similar action that gives benefits but drawbacks at the same time. Paper books are tangible, accomplishment, easy to share; they have a unique aroma, and a sensitive side. But people should take in consideration that digital books are the better choice, because they are portable, convenient, cheap in price, and easy to manipulate, not to mention that anybody is able to have an bunch of them in only one file, either their phones or