Be Careful What You Wish For

As the present pandemic pummels both our health and our economy, an interesting result has been the closure of various “non-essential” businesses and institutions. Included in the expanding list of buildings you can no longer visit are academic libraries. “Not to fear,” claim the Information Scientists who operate these bookless structures, “we can easily deliver our product over the internet.” Indeed they can, and therein is the problem.

People who feel they are getting what they need from a “library” without actually visiting the place are in danger of multiplying at a rate faster than coronavirus victims. Once they reach a critical mass it is only a matter of time before the logical question is asked, “Why are we paying for a vacant building staffed by expensive biblioposers?” If all a university library building is used for is a location for wifi connections and a place for students to order pizza while pretending to study, are there not cheaper options? If college pupils can find what they need to complete assignments by their own internet savvy, why do they need pay the exorbitant salaries of the absent occupants of these deserted physical spaces?

The coronavirus has shown what we can live with, and what we can live without. In truth, we can live without a library building that has no books, and the realization of that fact may be accelerated by the present shutdown.