We live in an age of rapid technological advancement. What was once considered science fiction is now reality. We now carry in our pockets mini-computers capable of communicating wirelessly across large geographies! Despite these significant advancements there continues to be severe economic disparity in accessing these new technologies and learning the skills needed to take advantage of these technologies. This economic inequality is referred to as the “digital divide.” Libraries are working hard to close this divide so more people have the access and the skills necessary to be part of our changing, digital world. Rubin (2010) provides an area of focus where libraries can help close the digital divide stating, “As more and more information becomes available online, there is a tremendous need to teach effective search techniques and evaluation skills” (p. 178). Like the digital divide there are many other "divides" within a community including cultural, educational, and social divides. These gaps in understanding push individuals and communities apart and can lead to miscommunication and mistrust. The library stands at the intersection of communities, technologies, and the liberal arts. They are positioned in society to be a force for good in closing these gaps that exist. By reflecting on my personal experiences with libraries, one can see the impact libraries have in contributing to the cultural, economic, educational, and social well-being of a community in helping to bridge these divides.

I remember going often to my elementary school library. In that library and as a young student I first learned about computers and the information superhighway. There I received hands-on instruction using computers for word processing, printing documents, using computer programs like Oregon Trail and Word Munchers, keyboard typing, and HyperCard. My elementary school library taught me basic computer skills and curiosity with digital technologies that has informed my interests and pursuits to the present day. In my school library I watched documentaries and read books about social, economic, and political issues that introduced me to new ideas and cultures.

My family didn't have Internet access in our home until late into my high school years. The High School library computers were the first computers I used to understand and explore the World Wide Web. I relied on the school library computers to access information online for school assignments and research papers. School libraries provided a way for me to develop skills in searching and retrieving information from the Internet that weren't possible previously. The high-school library also provided a place of interaction and connection with friends before and after school. We used the library to socialize, share ideas, and work on homework together.

Public libraries were also important to me in my youth. Individually and with my family I would regularly go to local public libraries to check out books, magazines, music CDs, and movies. At the public library I would use the Internet for checking email and browsing the web. Access to the public library computers helped me apply for summer jobs while in between school years. Public libraries closed the digital divide for me by giving me access to the Internet and allowing me to connect to the digital world. Before a personal identification card, drivers license, or credit card I owned my own library card. Having a library card that I was responsible for strengthened my confidence and independence. It was empowering to checkout out my own materials myself without reliance on my parents or siblings and to be part of the local library community. Visiting the library and seeing members of the community there engaging in various educational, business, or recreational pursuits was energizing and motivating.

My first introduction to academic libraries was in high school for an English class research paper. To gather research information for this assignment as well as introduce us to an academic library, our English class took a field trip to a local University library. I was amazed at the size and scale of the library as well as the large number of digital services available for college students. Working in the academic library instilled within me confidence and excitement to pursue additional education at the university level. Later, as a college student at Brigham Young University (BYU), I relied heavily on the digital resources available in the university library for completing assignments and staying in touch with family over email. The college library computers provided me access to the Internet and other computing technologies when I couldn't afford to pay for them myself. It also provided me access to books that motivated my own personal learning and study outside of a classroom setting. The use of the academic library instilled in me the desire to always be a life-long learner.

Pursuing a masters degree in Library and Information Science has magnified my understanding of the role libraries play in society and the good they do to communities. Each course in the degree emphasized the power and potential of libraries to provide for the cultural, economic, educational, and social well-being of communities. The core competencies of an SJSU MLIS and the evidence chosen to demonstrate those competencies stand as evidence to this truth of the library as beacon for good. My experience in the SJSU MLIS program echoes the excitement and trust expressed by Melvil Dewey (1876) in the initial issue of The American Library Journal:

The founders [of this journal] have an intense faith in the future of our libraries, and believe that if the best methods can be applied by the best librarians, the public may soon be brought to recognize our claim that the free library ranks with the free school. We hold that there is no work reaching father in its influence and deserving more honor than the work with a competent and earnest librarian can do for his [or her] community (p. 6).

My experiences with school libraries, public libraries, academic libraries, and pursing a masters degree in Library and Information Science demonstrate that libraries are an amazing force for good that contribute to the cultural, economic, educational, and social well-being of communities. They provide opportunities to communities and patrons that wouldn't be possible otherwise. They can also play a positive role in giving access to new technology and teaching the skills to use these technologies so that communities and patrons are active participants in today's digital world. As libraries have proved valuable to me in bridging the cultural, economic, educational, and social divides, I feel libraries can also help bridge these gaps for others. As a recipient of that help to access and learn new technologies and new ideas, I look forward to the opportunities as an employee of an academic library to serve others in bridging these gaps for themselves.

References

Dewey, M. (1876). The profession. The American Library Journal, 1(1). 5-6. Retrieved from https://books.google.com/books?id=0R0DAAAAYAAJ

Rubin, R. E. (2010). Foundations of library and information science (3rd ed.). New York, NY: Neal-Schuman Publishers.