For every university there is a library. Regardless of their majors, almost all college students are expected to do at least some form of research during their college careers, and a library is the best place to do this.
But the future of libraries has changed. As technology evolves, a great deal of information is accessible, via the Internet, while they sit in a resident hall, living room or office.
For some students though, the Internet is not a valuable way to get information.
“What you get back from the Internet is the question. A lot of times you can’t trust what you get on it,” said David Collinson, sophomore history major.
Collinson said he goes to the library at least once or twice a week and always relies on resources there for his research.
“There are so many resources, I mostly just use the ones I need to for my project,” he said.
Other students stick to the Internet.
“I always rely on the Internet for my research,” said Sarah Wentworth, junior media studies major. “However, unless the website online is published, I don’t cite it on my research paper.”
Many students feel the library is too confusing.
“I almost never go to the library. I honestly don’t find it helpful,” Wentworth said.
Noah Brown, a sophomore communication major, agrees.
“I feel that the Internet can be a faster means of finding what I’m looking for,” Brown said. “It’s like only the librarians seem to know how the library works,”
Confusion about the library is something that the librarians are well aware of, especially now that the library is merging with the Internet. Sheila Johnson, head of Reference Services, explained that print indexes are now Internet-based.
Johnson said the library has a website filled with different resources students can use. One example is the interlibrary loan, which allows students to order books from University of Maine Systems and national campuses. Students can also use the website to ask the librarians questions, put books and videos on hold, view journals and magazine archives, and much more.
Johnson said the librarians teach in certain classes to help students better understand the library and learn how to get the most out of it.
With the combination of the library and the Internet, the only choice students will have to make is an Internet article or one from the library.
“The availability of electronic resources and services changed the way we provide research. It is now much easier,” Johnson said.
The Albert Brenner Glickman Family library on the Portland Campus and the Gorham Campus Libraries website is http://library.usm.maine.edu/