Digital Resources You Didn't Know You Had
By Chidiebere Sullivan Nwuguru
Oftentimes, when we think of libraries, our minds move straight to a room with shelves containing different kinds of books, and to think that most of us believe that this is all there is to a library, is the point of the expository venture we shall embark on with this piece of writing. So pick your reading tools and get on this journey with me. In our world today, where technology has penetrated every edge and circumference, libraries are no exception.
Today, beyond the physical books, vast collections of ebooks and audiobooks have grown to become a valuable aspect of a modern library. However, most people barely even know that these intangible aspects of libraries are there for them to explore and take advantage of. The availability of these resources in the library has further propagated the relevance of online libraries, hence, a library no longer has to start and end with a building adorned with shelves that contain a variety of physical books. With a phone, iPad, or any other digital device, one can easily access thousands of books from the comfort of their home. Imagine listening to an audiobook on a historical biography while on a gym session, or reading through that exciting novel with your phone while on a journey.
This is the sort of flexibility that eBooks and audiobooks have added to the modern library. I can't count how many books I have consumed online without having ever touched them physically, yet still feel so close to the books as I would if I had accessed them from a physical library. Those who are into research writing can further attest to this; with the advent of eBooks and audiobooks, research materials have been made more readily available; one just has to leverage resourceful online libraries to get the task done.
The library is no doubt a place of learning, and for those who wish to explore and enhance their inner polyglot ability, a library has always been a suitable place to achieve that. With the advent of platforms like Duolingo, Rosetta Stone, Babbel, etc, it is now easy to leverage these library tools for learning new languages. Through library streaming services, one can employ any of these aforementioned applications for learning new languages, while supplementing the learning with movies and or documentaries filmed in the target language.
With these, gaining fluency in a foreign language becomes a journey that can be accomplished through the services of libraries. Hence, there is a need for libraries that are yet to incorporate streaming services to do so. The library users on the other hand should endeavour to utilise the services when made available
Libraries as a hub for learning extend beyond the physical realm to the digital world. Many libraries today, offer their users access to a large number of online courses on platforms like Coursera, Udemy, Skillshare, etc. With the availability of these digital platforms, anyone who intends to upskill can easily leverage these opportunities. For instance, I have had to rely on some online libraries to acquire technical skills that I could not ordinarily have gained on my own, and this is the story of many people out there. Many of these courses even go as far as conferring certification upon completion. Also, most renowned universities have many of their courses administered online and one can explore these opportunities to enrich their skill sets.
Conclusively, the landscape of libraries has greatly shifted to incorporate many valuable digital resources, hence, people should endeavour to explore the digital landscape of libraries when they visit one. Also, libraries that have yet to incorporate digital resources should do so to further enrich and enhance the reading culture. The many digital resources out there are for us to utilise from our comfort, we should explore them more often.
