With the popularity of the Kindle and other technology, what is the future of libraries?

This was a question posed to me during a recent meeting of the Colfax Athenaeum Club. This amazing group of women has met for the past 115 years, with the club focusing upon current events, community affairs, the arts and literature. On this particular day, Whitman County Library was top on their agenda.

As part of my presentation about the library, I thanked them for 47 years worth of book donations. Each year, Athenaeum faithfully gives a memorial book to honor the lives of past members. This year, they donated the audio book Stones Into Schools in memory of Bev Herman.

But Athenaeum gives so much more than a book a year. While speaking, I couldn't help but notice how many members had given in other ways too. Looking around, I saw many Friends of the Library, library volunteers, former co-workers, building donors, spouses of valued library trustees and of course, regular library users.

So how did I respond to Athenaeum's question, "In this age of the Kindle, what is the future of libraries?"

That day, I said that libraries would evolve with technology. Just as we moved from paper to microfilm to online databases, we will likely move from books to electronic readers to unknown future formats.

While I believe my response was correct, there was so much more I should have said.

Today's libraries are busier than ever and I believe our future is brighter than ever. In Whitman County and nationwide, libraries are experiencing unprecedented usage. People are discovering the amazing services, quality collections for borrowing, instructional classes and community spaces that today's libraries offer.

Library collections boast a variety of formats. We provide traditional books along with music CDs, audio books, online databases, audio book downloads and movies. In 2010, public libraries lent 2.1 million DVDs just behind Netflix who rented 2.2 million.

Computer services in libraries are extremely important because 40% of Americans still do not own a home computer while even fewer have Internet access. Most libraries including Whitman County offer free public computing, Internet access, computer classes and wireless hotspots. Nationally, Wi-Fi from public libraries is accessed more than 12,000 times each day.

Libraries are an important gathering place. People visit libraries to meet with friends and neighbors. They are a place to hang out and relax, to read, to attend a community program and for children to play. In fact, 1.2 billion Americans visited their public library last year.

In today's tough economy, many people are saving money by using public libraries. Others just like pooling their tax money to share materials, programs and services within their community. Conservation at its finest.

Finally, I am most proud of the quality of customer service that today's libraries provide. I think we are more welcoming and do a lot less "shushing" than the generations before us!

 For more information, contact:

Kristie Kirkpatrick at 509-397-4366

For a complete list of events and programs happening in all fourteen Whitman County Library branches, visit the Whitman County Library website or the library's events calendar or call the library at 397-4366 or 877-733-3375 toll-free.