Not long ago, when people wanted either information or recreational reading, they had two choices: they could buy it from a book store or get it from the library. Today, most people turn first to the World Wide Web. Here is a librarian's view of how to determine the most appropriate of these three basic resources in different circumstances.
Book stores and the library
Go to the bookstore any time you want a resource to keep. If you want to read something once and not have to find a permanent place to put it, choose the library.
Sometimes, you need to choose the library anyway. Book stores, whether brick and mortar or online, carry only what is available for sale. If a publisher has run out of printed copies and decided not to print any more, that book is no longer available.
It may be possible to obtain a used copy. Used book stores stock what the original owners of a book don't want any more. Finding a particular title used is difficult.
Bookstores organize their wares in broad categories. It is easier to find the categories in a bookstore. In a library, you have to know the call-number range. On the other hand, if you want a narrower subject within a broad category, or if you want something that could plausibly fit in more than one category, the bookstore becomes more difficult to use. Good bookstores will have knowledgeable staff to help you.
The World Wide Web and the library
The Web holds a wealth of information--and even more misinformation. Searching the Web is easy enough, but making sense of the search results often is not. Searching in the library is harder at first, but the search results make more sense.
The World Wide Web is great for simple fact checking, and probably the best possible source for keeping up with breaking news. More extensive research requires careful evaluation of sources, but then so does library research. Browsers enable people to bookmark especially helpful pages and organize their bookmarks into folders.
The World Wide Web can work very well for people who have a clear idea of what they want to find and where to look for it. Unfortunately, at some time or another in their lives, most people don't. At that time, they need the library.
Every library has computers for its patrons to use. Even if the best source for particular information is on the Web, it may be more efficient to search at the library than at home. Reference librarians have the training and skill to help clarify what patrons need and to find it. The present author has written another article on this site explaining how to get the best use out of the library.
No one has to pay for the information found on the Web. Many information providers expect payment for their services. They make it available on line, just not on the Web. Libraries each pay thousands of dollars to make this information available to their patrons.
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 | Reading aloud to children will enhance their reading comprehension skills for life. It promotes your child's growth as a reader; it enhances her quest for knowledge. |
 | Teaching reading readiness can happen naturally from infancy if parents are aware of the kinds of activities that encourage learning to read. |
 | Is your child having trouble grasping the importance of literature? Help your child appreciate literature by explaining its role in culture and the arts. |
 | Learn how to identify the five most commonly used types of conflict in literature. |
