[Best of 20 JSR] The Importance of Libraries

The 21 JSR Fall Semester has officially began! But before we begin premiering the great written works of our new student reporter articles, we here at JSR wanted to take a look back at the best of the previous semester. We’ve had our reporters write about a range of topics from the events happening in their community to personal opinions pieces, to things happenings nationwide and around the world. Our student editors worked diligently in pressing out Editor’s Columns that covered a broad range of topics as well.

Starting from the beginning of the 20 JSR Semester, these particular selections were made because they were prime examples of reporting within school and the community, making larger connections within society and internationally, and even introspection. It is our hope that the caliber of these articles are used as models of high performance that the student editors and reporters can strive towards.
We tip our hats to these editors and student reporters.

The Importance of Libraries

This article was originally published on November 14, 2018

With the consistent rise of technology, it has become evident that the arts and reading are going on a heavy downturn. As a result, institutions, namely the library, has seen a dramatic decrease in importance. Libraries have been labelled as unnecessary simply because with the world of technology taking over, they seem to become even more obsolete. Here’s why we should not count them out.

Daniel Kim, Grade 12 Crescenta Valley High School

Libraries are funded by the public in order to serve the public. They offer books, movies, and music curated to entertain and inform the public, with more available through various loans. They offer internet access and low-cost printing services. They offer financial literacy training and job search assistance. And most importantly, they serve non-English-speaking immigrants, incarcerated people as well as homeless people.

The library was designed by the government to help the people in the public who may not have access to much technology. They provide cheap yet accessible and efficient resources and services that can easily be used by any individual of all levels. Everyone knows that libraries lend books, but they also lend much more. Some lend tools, cooking equipment, games, seeds and even fishing rods.

Libraries also have study rooms, conference rooms, event hosting facilities and equipment such as projectors and 3-D printers available for use. Other services offered within libraries include book groups, assistance in job searches, and classes on a multitude of topics. Even the story time for the younger children proves to be extremely valuable, as it helps shape the path to literacy for the youngest in our society.

Furthermore, libraries will always maintain a standard of trust and accountability when it comes to information. The internet is notorious for the ability to post anything online, causing the reader to have to fact check to have confidence in the legitimacy of what they are reading. In libraries, an individual does not have to worry about that. One can enter any library, pick up any book, and be confident that its content is accurate and precise. Because the internet cannot guarantee the same level of comfort or safety, libraries become a center of fact checking.

Although it is true that libraries have several flaws and are not perfect, they are nowhere near a waste of money and should still be there at our disposal. Libraries can offer a plethora of resources, where there is free and easy access to information, cultural enrichment can be expanded on, and the most underserved groups of our society can get the access to information and entertainment that they deserve.

Surprisingly, studies show that approximately 15 percent of Americans do not have consistent access to the internet. This is mind boggling especially considering how much our society is developing from a technological standpoint. For this very reason libraries still stand today. They have always been a service to the public, and will continue to be just that.

Even though we feel like no one needs the library, there are always individuals who actually do need the library to access information and the Internet. And while it is clear that fewer people are visiting libraries across the nation, it is becoming even more important in this age of technology to sustain the life of libraries.