Creating a future for public libraries: diverse strategies for a diverse nation - Buildings, Books, and Bytes: Perspectives on the Benton Foundation Report on Libraries in the Digital Age

Library Trends, Summer, 1997 by Charles R. McClure, John Carlo Bertot

INTRODUCTION

The release of the report Buildings, Books, and Bytes: Libraries and Communities in the Digital Age (Benson Foundation, 1996) has brought increased attention to issues related to the role of public libraries in the digital age. A number of issues and findings that resulted from the study are fueling debates concerning what public libraries are, should be, cannot be, or might become. Those interested in the societal role of public libraries certainly will appreciate the attention that will come to the public library

community as a result of the study. The report, however, offers very few specific strategies, suggestions, or recommendations as to what public libraries need to do now given the varied public opinion and evolving professional view of public libraries in the developing digital environment.

A key finding of the report is that Americans continue to have a love affair with their libraries, but they have difficulty figuring out where libraries fit in the new digital world (Benton Foundation, 1996, p. 7). But there are a number of warning bells, such as the view that it is possible to replace trained librarians with volunteers to serve cappuccino as well as perform more traditional library services (Benton Foundation, 1996).

These and other findings suggest that the public has distinctly different perceptions of the public library than do public librarians. A close read through the Benton Report can both stimulate and depress those who have wrestled with the general topic of public libraries and the digital age. Indeed, the issues, topics, and many of the findings are not new for many public librarians. The Benton Report may offer significant interest, however, to some trustees, citizens, and government officials who have not been engaged in this discussion. Thus, the image of public libraries and issues to address, as painted by the report, will affect different audiences in different ways as they interpret its content.

As academics and consultants who serve regularly in the trenches, we consider the report as a bit of an anomaly. We are certainly pleased that the Kellogg and Benton Foundations supported the project and brought increased visibility to issues related to public libraries in the digital age. But there are numerous issues related to the study, its development, its findings, and its use that may result more in muddying, than clearing, the waters of where public libraries fit in the digital age. The purpose of this article is to review the Benton Report with an eye toward clarifying key issues, offering some recommendations for public libraries as they enter the digital age, and drawing upon findings from some of our recent research related to the future of libraries in the digital age. Given less importance, but still important, is to examine the technical aspects of the report in terms of its development and method. Indeed, the findings from the report must be considered in light of the report's data collection and analysis processes.

Overall, the authors believe that, while there certainly is useful information in the report, not much of this is new to the public library community. For example, the finding that different librarians and different users have differing, and sometimes conflicting, views of what the public library should be in the digital age is well known (McClure et al., 1995a). Furthermore, the lack of clarity concerning the study's method and data collection techniques hinders the usefulness of the discussion and findings. And by the end of the report the authors were left asking: "Given these findings, what needs to be done, if anything, to resolve the issues concerning public libraries in the digital era?"

THE TECHNICAL DEVELOPMENT OF THE REPORT

When the Benton Foundation released its report, there was a big splash of media coverage, discussion on the network lists, and conversations among public librarians as to its findings. The report describes its findings as based on survey and other data-collection activities. Indeed, it promotes the credibility of its findings due to the empirical nature of the study. But a number of issues should be considered in the technical development of the report when interpreting the findings.

Purpose of the Report and Intended Audience

The Kellogg Foundation initiated the study to inform its Human Resources for Information Systems Management (HRISM) grantees "about where the public supports--or fails to support--libraries as they confront the digital world." Furthermore, the foundation wanted "to help its grantees develop a public message about American libraries that reflected both the library leaders' visions and the American people's expectations" (Benton Foundation, 1996). These grantees include a broad range of library types and organizations. Note that the purpose had to do with libraries and not "public" libraries. As such, the primary benefactors of the study were those organizations and individuals that received support from the Kellogg Foundation. One might wonder why, after supporting their various projects, the foundation then determined that they needed to be informed about these issues.