Wellington: Excessive reliance on modern day technology and search engines like Google is likely to make libraries consisting hard books extinct in no time.
A visiting expert from the US, Eli Neiburger said that libraries would have to loan more than just books to survive as he loans telescopes, musical instruments and high tech tools for his own library.
Neiburger said that as books are being transformed into digital versions, libraries have lost their meaning and soon they will circulate collections that one can`t get anywhere else, stuff.co.nz reports.
Librarian at the University of Waikato, Anne Ferrier-Watson said that libraries aren`t just about print items and librarians aren`t just old ladies with buns.
She said that students overloaded with information are unsure of how to properly use a library as they are short on time.
Watson further said that are not anti- Google or anti-internet, but anti-unintelligent use of it.
Associate Librarian at the University of Waikato and former LIANZA President Vye Perrone said that libraries were still `powerful forces` which must be respected, understood and well-managed in order to support their communities, the report added.
