LIBRARIES SHOULD BUY MORE BOOKS INSTEAD INVESTING ON

NEW TECHNOLOGY
1. INTRODUCTION
This report is about the need of libraries to buy more books instead of choosing to invest
libraries money on new technology such as e-books and e-journals. It is indeed a current
trend to have every information or knowledge needed just by clicking search button without
the hassle to search for the correct books at the book shelf inside the libraries. On this report,
comparison between the two choices will be made clearly to rationale and justify the reason
of library to buy books instead of investing the money onto technology even thou everyone is
excited on the current trend of ICT as mentioned above.
Libraries are portals to all of the worlds knowledge. And librarians make sure that
knowledge continues to be recorded and saved for the future, even as information-storage
devices and formats change. The information kept in libraries helps everyday people start
their own small businesses, which helps grow the economy. If libraries are not essential, then
why have some of the worlds smartest and richest people (such as Andrew Carnegie and Bill
Gates) poured their time and money into them? There is much more to doing real research
than typing a few words into a search engine such as Google. Librarians are trained to do
high-level research, which supports scientists, doctors, lawyers, professors, writers,
government officials, and other important professionals every single day. Without the aid of
librarians, all of these people would be making decisions without having all of the relevant
knowledge they need on their topics.
2. PROBLEMS WITH THE TECHNOLOGY TREND
Everything happened on this earth has its own pros and cons. Same thing happened with the
technology trend. There are basically 6 identified problems regarding the choice to invest in
the new technology. Below, each problem will be described as clearly as possible from my
point of view as well as from research findings that I had make.

2.1 Electricity
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Electricity is a must have when it comes to technology. Without it, its impossible to have the
so called trending technology. Even the simplest technology we have in our hand, the
gadgets, electronic hand phone needs electricity to charge its battery powers. Without it, its
almost impossible to have those electronic devices to be used. Indeed currently in the market
there are massive productions of power banks or portable electronic hand phone chargers so
that it will be easy for everyone to go around without having the need to find a socket power
to charge the phone. But still, before we can use the handy power bank, we still need the
electricity to charge it depending on its power which is measured by mAh. The bigger mAh
power of the power bank, the longer times it will take to charge it before we could find it
handy.
The example on above is the same with computer if the libraries choose to invest in new
technology. Still, compared to electronic devices which already have their power bank
guardians, the computer still need to totally stick with the electricity power socket. Indeed
there are Uninterrupted Power Supply (UPS) to back up today computers. Still the main
objective of this UPS is to provide temporary battery supply during blackout so that users of
the computer will have enough time to save their current file so that users wont lose their
work before the blackout occurred. This UPS will help a lot in maintaining the computer
system so that it wont have the total system failure due to sudden blackout when the
computer didnt have its own UPS. Most of computers failures are due to sudden blackout.
Leave alone the problems with the computer hardware above. When it is blackout, theres
nothing we can do with the computers until the electricity is available again. Basically, all
those on the fingertips information are unreachable up until the electricity restored again. Yes,
some may argue that the library can have generators as electricity back up, but it will only
lasted for few hours. Depending on problem arise, blackout may last longer than the usual.
Indeed we need to think the worst case scenario as precautions.
2.2 Validity of Information
Not everything on the World Wide Web or internet is a fact. We are dealing with a big world
in the internet. Basically we are dealing with human being without faces! When it comes to
research and findings, we need to have solid, concrete information to proceed with our
projects. Yes, there are certain ways can be done to fully identified whether the resource are
trustworthy or not. Either we check the page domain if it is indeed published by trustworthy
academic institutions, or we google or search more on the author background or taking
time to go through of the audience of the source we found from the internet. Compared to

journals, articles and books which published by the trustworthy academic institution which
later will be bought by the library, we dont have to go through the hassle of research in
research process. When we have the physical papers or books in our hand, we basically can
take the information as citation in our research without the worries of the fact on our findings.
Not everything we get easily on the internet is trustworthy enough. We still need to do a
background check up if we decide to use what we find on the internet. But, if we choose to
use what we found on the books in the library, we can directly cited it in our research without
the worry of the validity of the information.

2.3 Subscription Fee

When it involves new technology, it will involve internet. When we talk about internet, it will
involve the internet subscriptions fee per month, the bandwidth limit within our subscription
and our security during surfing the internet. The subscription fee I try to highlight here is
involving internet monthly fee, journals web site subscription fee and regular maintenance
fee. Indeed, library can pay the internet monthly fee and web site subscription fee one off
without problems. But, if the libraries choose to invest in new technology the need to have
library own web page will arise. This maintenance task will involve a lot sum of fee to be
paid to the web developer. The web will need to be updated regularly, the traffic in the web
will need a stable server to initiate it as it will involve a lot downloads of documents, books,
journals and articles. The web site will also need to have the ability to handle a high volume
of transaction such as documentation of members data, the books borrowed, restriction
area/books for certain members as well as keep track of whom already in and out of the web
site. By the end of the day, it will need a large sum of investment amount.
2.4 Physical Touch
Nothing can beat the feeling of touching books and reading its content to the fullest. If we
choose to read from our electrical devices, we will have to zoom in and out documents
involve, need to really focus on the screen that later will cause eye sore and have to wait for
few moments before our electronic device are fully utilised. Compared to touching the books
directly, we dont have to tire up our eyes just to focus on next words. We can just sit on
comfortable position, taking time holding our books as reading it without having the worried
that it will run out of battery if we choose to read it with our electronic gadgets.
2.5 Not All Books Available In Digital Format
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No matter how advance the new technology is, not all books are available in digital formats.
Its still need plenty of time to try distributing all books available in digital format. Most
publishers prefer to publish books in physical form as it is easy for them to archive their
published group. We are not just talking about the books published in our current era, but we
also talking about the books from previous era. No one is able to produce digital copy of all
old books. This is because its still need plenty of time to scan all the books and to find a
good copy to produce the digital copy.
2.6 Physical Books Cant Be Deleted
Digital copies have the risk to be deleted accidently without purpose. This is the main
weakness of digital copy. The screen is sensitive that it receives the signal immediately when
we were actually accidently touch the menu button. But books, as long as we maintain it
nicely, take care of it carefully the copy will be there always. Unless someone is selfish
enough not to return the books they borrowed from the library.
3. COMPARISON BETWEEN BUYING BOOKS AND DIGITAL LIBRARY
This comparison will take RM 2,000 as the base of amount of money that will be use to
invest in both choices. This is an example of how many books will library able to buy and
how many people it will be able to reach at a time if the libraries choose to invest in buying
books. At the same time, it will also show how many computers desktop the library will be
able to buy and how many people will it be able to reach at the same time if the libraries
choose to invest on new technology.
In Malaysia, RM 2,000 will sum up to 40 books at RM 40 price. With the same amount of
money, library will get 1 complete set of desktop computer along with its UPS, internet
connection and printer. Lets assume, on those 40 books bought on above, there are 5 books
of the same title. Totally there are 8 different titles which are 5 books for each title. Basically,
for 1 title, there are 5 persons can access the same information at the same time. While for the
computer, only 1 person will be able to use the computer at one time and be able to access
information on it. 8 different tittles of books, lets say that it is a set of journals published by
academic institution will be reachable to total 40 person at one real time simulation. But
another 7 journals will be left unreachable due to only one person are able to access the
computer and use the internet to search for 1 journal. Yes, there are basically thousands of
journal available online, but right now, we are talking base on simulation what will the library

will get if they choose to invest RM 2,000 for both choices. Basically with the same amount
of RM 2,000, if the libraries choose to buy books, the library will be able to help out 40
persons or, if the libraries choose to invest on new technology, the library will only able to
reach 1 person with the same RM 2,000.
The conclusion of this comparison is buying books are more effective compare to invest the
money on the new technology.
4. HOW TO PROMOTE PUBLIC READING A BOOK
This part of report to justify ways can be done in order to raise the public interest to read a
physical book instead totally clinging on the digital copy which facing few weaknesses. The
library can promote the reading habit using 3 ways provided below to attract public interest.
4.1 Promotion You Choose, We Buy
The library can start a campaign You Choose, We Buy to attract public interest with several
conditions applied. The campaign is to let public to fill and send a form containing books list
which they like and suggest to the library to buy so that finally they can borrow the books
from the library. Indeed the library should set rules and regulations for this campaign so that
the public wont felt offended once their proposal rejected. The library can clearly state that
the public can request books consist of academic, fiction, non-fiction genre so that they will
understand not all types of books can be bought. The libraries also need to state clearly that
this campaign is based on the specific amount of money specially projected for this
campaign. After the campaign closed, the library once again need to promote the types of
books which they choose to buy along with the requester names stated next to it so that the
public know their request had been recognized by the library. This by the end will make the
public to get excited in involving themselves on any library activities later.
4.2 Displays to Attract Reluctant Reader (Adults Reader)
The library can create glass displays in front of the entering door to the adults section. Its
basically promoting the types of books available on the library to be read and to be borrowed
by the members. It also shows that the library have more fun books to read and not just a
normal boring books to some readers. The library can choose to display sports magazine, fun
facts magazine or some weird record magazine books. This type of books usually will attract
male books reader. For female, the library can promote the latest novels, cooking books

available in the library. The library will have to update their glass displays regularly so that
they can promote every interesting book that they have.
4.3 Creative Displays for Children
Children absolutely attracted to physical showcase. Same with the above idea, the library
should prepare a glass display so that the librarian can fill it with some interesting book
contents. This glass display will be put near the children section entrance. Its like a sneak

peek into a book content which is chosen to be promoted for that period. Lets say the book
chosen is about beautiful insects. The librarian can make 3D insects which its information
available in the book promoted. The librarian can make the title of the book in big
recognizable book along with the front page cover tagged beside the title. They can create a
colourful background and paste along fun fact of the 3D insect pasted on the glass display.
This will attract the students to find and read the book later because children are visual
attracted type of person.
Usually children are afraid of strangers adults so basically they usually restraint themselves
from asking question to the librarian. By providing the hints of the title of the books and front
page cover, they will help themselves to find the books. If they failed to do so, their curiosity
later will drive them to ask the librarian.
5. CONCLUSION
Library should choose to invest in buying more books instead of choosing to invest in new
technology. The choice of investing in new technology is not totally wrong, its just that, the
main concern is to provide more books as many as possible so that the knowledge will kept
safely up until the new technology is totally secured to kept all the digital copy safe without
the risk of being deleted or lost. We have to remember, it takes many sweat to publish a book.
It take ample of times, heavy research and harsh screening before an author able to get their
books published by publisher. To have this hard work to be easily exposed to such threat is
quite unacceptable.
The library can choose to invest slowly on the new technology by buying 2 set computers a
year to implement the knowledge of using this new technology so that the public wont totally
rejected the idea of the new technology. A bit by bit, one day the library can also utilise the
use of new technology.
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Having new technology doesnt mean that we can totally forget the old school way. As
mentioned on previous part of this report, there is a massive knowledge from the previous era
that still not have been scanned or recorded in digital format. Our civilization are not formed
just in our century, it formed thousands of years before and its all recorded using physical
record, a book. So it is important to implement the hobby of reading and holding books so
that the investment on buying books will worth it later.
(2,707 words)

REFERRENCES
1. Ellen Norton, Book Displays to Attract Reluctant Readers,
https://www.ebscohost.com/novelist/novelist-special/book-displays-to-attract-reluctantreaders (NoveList, March 2015)
2. Erma Wood Carlson, How Can I Tell if a Website is Reliable?, brochure (Lee College,
22nd July 2007)
3. Jason Fitzpatrick, How to Select a Battery Backup for Your Computer
http://www.howtogeek.com/161479/how-to-select-a-battery-backup-for-your-computer/
(How-To Geek, 1st May 2015)
4. Nancy Dowd & Kathy Dempsey, There Are Many Reasons Why Libraries Are Essential,
http://www.librariesareessential.com/why-are-libraries-essential/ (Libraries are essential,
2015)