Author / The Collegian
As the largest library in the CSU system, the Henry Madden Library is a formidable presence on campus. But with the surge of technology, a question remains as to whether or not the need for so many housed books is necessary.
As traffic goes in and out of the campus library, an electronic system counts every single person. The total number of people who entered the library last week was recorded at 35,969.
Dean of the library Dave Tyckoson said, “It stays pretty steady from 35,000 to 40,000 per week throughout the school year.”
Aside from the more than one million books provided, students use the library as a sanctuary for studying and schoolwork. Out of all of the services that are provided at the library, some are more popular than others. According to Tyckoson, book checkout, research assistance, printing, and the group and individual study rooms are the most common uses.
With all of these resources right on campus, going elsewhere for library services may seem unnecessary. But since it is located on campus, its hours of operation coincide with the school’s time schedule.
For spring break, the Henry Madden Library will only be open from 8 a.m. — 5 p.m. Although classes may be out for a week, not all students are able to put their studies on hold. The Fresno County Library serves as an alternative for those in need. The FCL consists of multiple branches throughout the Fresno County with 13 in Fresno alone.
Tyckoson is confident that the campus library will not affect the FCL or cause it to become extinct.
“The county library plays a key role in many areas, including computer training, job searches, recreational reading, providing meeting space for groups, children’s programs, etc., that are vital to the Fresno community,” Tychoson said. “As budgets get tighter they might close some lesser used branches, but the county library is a service for everyone and one that would be greatly missed if it was not available.”
More and more technological progressions are made in order to access books aside from their print form. Instead of checking a book out or purchasing one, readers can simply access it from their computers or various electronic devices, such as the iPad. Because of these technology advancements, fewer people are using the print version.
Senior Leesha Melson prefers to use online sources but said sometimes professors require students to use the library.
“It’s difficult because they’re [the books] not completely in order and it’s not really up to date,” Melson said.
But will libraries as a whole eventually die out? The number of books checked out at the campus’s library itself proves this to be unlikely.
“We checked out 160,000 plus books last year, so people still use print books.” Tyckoson said. “They do like to get lots of information online, but books are not going to go away — and they still will be used regularly.”