A Magical Eve

By Executive Director Ronald W. Shaw

Published in the Niagara Gazette on Tuesday, July 28, 2007

On July 23^rd the south lawn of the library was the place to be as it was transformed into Hogwarts Square where we held the best Harry Potter party ever. Budding wizards joined us for an evening of magic potions, face painting, a Harry Potter trivia contest and even a game of “Quidditch”. Looking at the faces of the children (and a lot of their parents too), I couldn’t help but think how remarkable it was that one of the biggest international events in 2007 would be the release of a book.

 

In this modern world of ours, many of us parents worry about all the distractions of life as our kids spend too much time playing video games, IM’ing their friends, or listening to loud music on their iPods. Sometimes we help them along as we buy more stuff for them: Game Boys, PlayStations, MP3 players, portable DVD players, computers, etc. The problem with these items is in the fact that they tend to isolate people, even if they are in the same room. I have seen teenagers sit next to each other and IM or text message instead of just sitting and talking. A few years ago I saw five young men in a car, each with a cell phone at his ear, talking away as if there was no one else around. It leads me to think the technology of today has taken social interaction out of relationships and replaced it with a deeper sense of isolation.

 

The development of new technology has especially affected libraries and many librarians are concerned with the perception that the printed word will be replaced by the electronic one. As circulation of audio-visual materials increases and book circulation sometimes decreases some librarians are even concerned about the continued existence of libraries.

 

Unlike them, I am not worried that computers will make books obsolete. Here in Lewiston, our library is a vital resource for lifelong reading. We earn our keep by providing patrons with children’s books, non-fiction materials, mysteries and other novels. Over 75% of our monthly circulation is printed materials. There are several reasons for this including the fact that books provide our users with more “eye-friendly” reading, greater accessibility, affordability and portability. But I think that perhaps the biggest reason is the opportunity the library provides us as a place to meet new people, share new ideas, and spend some time with old friends.

 

Life as we know it has changed dramatically. As we sit there and add up the credit card debt, we yearn for the days when we would curl up in a comfortable chair with a good book and spend the day with our favorite characters. I realize that inroads to the future must be made and libraries must respond to changing needs and desires, but as I stood there and saw the kids dressed up in their finest Harry Potter regalia, I knew that books still hold a vital place in our lives. More importantly I realized they have evolved into a force for social interaction. They provide us an opportunity to reach out to others with similar interests as we share a bit of “magic” and a bit of ourselves. Books will continue to contain the ingredients for a variety of potions, spells, and elixirs and as long as a library is defined as “a place for books” the need for such a place will long endure.