The Demise of School Libraries in the Philippines

Yvy C.

The reports said, The Philippines emerged as the country were most people rely on the Internet for educational, leisure and recreational purposes. Search engines such as Google, Yahoo and the like makes it easy and convenient for people to find out what’s new and what’s not. The Internet makes it possible to share information quickly and that is why social media platforms have evolved (such as social networks, blogs, photo/video sharing, etc.).

A Grade 12 student like me is undeniably guilty of using the Internet as a resource or reference tool. I find it very convenient for me since we have access to the internet at home. In addition, I can easily interact with my classmates and friends while learning and gaining new information as well. For some reason, the internet helps me save time and effortlessly submit my School works on time. Yet, I never thought that using the Internet takes over the importance of Libraries especially when it comes to providing reliable references and reading my favorite story books and novels like The Little Mermaid, Harry Potter series, Hunger Games, John Green and so much more.

The Internet can give you hundreds of different kinds and quality search results.  It only takes few clicks to get information and accessible with the help of modern technology like smartphones and microcomputers. While the Library will always be the place where it gives you few but dependable, true, and accurate information in different formats. (magazines, newspapers, journals, monograph etc.)

The Internet is maybe one of the most amazing things the world has created in order to connect us. However, we should be responsible to the things we share especially with our opinion, false information, judgement that may cause harm, confusion and misunderstanding.

School Libraries are not dying, it is simply going with the flow where information can be more accessible, accurate, brief and clear. It will never perish due to the advancement of technology rather it grows, adapt and evolve since Libraries are like growing organisms.