The Future of Learning

By Will Simpson
Hidden Gem Reporter

MOSCOW, Idaho—Step into the University of Idaho Library, and you’ll quickly realize it’s not just a sanctuary for book lovers. Instead, it’s a humming hub of chatter and laughter, with some students buried in screens and others lounging on oversized ottomans.

The scene is a collision between the old and the new—as much about study and research as it is about building a community.

As the heart of the campus, the library balances two trends in a student’s life. It is a gateway into the ever-increasing digital world and provides respite for the screen-weary with social learning activities.

Libraries are evolving in unexpected ways. They are becoming more online and offering more options for in-person, non-screen-mediated interaction. Areas of the library are dedicated to boisterous group study and tutoring, lounging chairs circling oversized ottomans, and even board games.

Kenzie Sunstram is a first-term transfer student studying biology and ecology who embodies this balance. Coming from a family of librarians, Sunstram still struggles with the balance between a physical connection to the library and spending more time using online resources.

Jylisa Kenyon, associate professor and social science librarian at the University of Idaho, is at her station right next to the main circulation desk. She has a librarian’s voice— perfectly audible, yet soft enough not to disturb anyone else.

Kenyon says content born digitally is much different than library materials created with pen and paper or on a printing press. If a digital journal goes out of business, it’s entirely gone in a flash.

“If a publisher decides they don’t want to make them available anymore, the library loses them,” said Jylisa Kenyon, associate professor and social science librarian. “We don’t own them in the same way as a physical item that we have on the shelf.”

Libraries are working against the “narrative in the media that libraries are a dying breed,” said Kenyon. But “people still want to need access to information that’s accurate and authoritative.”

The University of Idaho Library receives hundreds of thousands of visits per year, 377,000 in the last year reported, 2017. Public libraries are seeing their usage go up. Librarians are trying to adapt quickly to the online and offline needs of research and student communities. This reality counters the outdated view of a dying library.

There has been an explosion of ways people get information. To meet the challenges of the digital world, libraries, like the University of Idaho Library, are becoming publishers by putting online digital scholarship projects and archiving special collections. They are a big part of the born-digital revolution.

Ben Hunter, dean of the University of Idaho Library, emphasized the importance of guiding students through the flood of online information. “Helping people navigate the much larger world of information and the real diversity of sources they will find online is crucial,” he said.

As the digital world expands, so too does the need for offline connections. In response, libraries are becoming hubs for social learning and relaxation—a much-needed sanctuary to unplug, unwind, and escape from endless screens.

Janine Darragh, professor of literacy and English as a second language, scrunched her arms up, hugging herself. “I’m looking at the pictures, and I don’t want to do that online, so I check out the physical books.” For some, the joy of the physical experience the book brings can’t be replaced.

The library has become a deep and meaningful part of many people’s lives. It serves as a lively center where individuals from diverse backgrounds can come together to learn, grow, and ignite fresh ideas.

The future of the University of Idaho Library rests on diving headfirst into the digital age and keeping that essential human connection alive. As it adapts to cutting-edge technologies, this library isn’t just about screens; it’s a haven where students can unwind, team up, and discover new ideas. This library buzzes with energy, blending tradition and innovation to shape the next chapter of learning.

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References

• Sources
  • K. Sunstram, personal interview, September 27, 2024
  • J. Kenyon, personal interview, September 27, 2024
  • B. Hunter, personal interview, September 30, 2024
  • J. Darragh, personal interview, October 2, 2024
• Reports and Statistics. (n.d.). University of Idaho Library. Retrieved October 3, 2024, from ~https://www.lib.uidaho.edu/about/statistics.html~
• University of Idaho Library Home. (n.d.). University of Idaho Library. Retrieved October 4, 2024, from ~https://www.lib.uidaho.edu/~