Are Traditional Libraries In Jeopardy?

Thousands of librarians are gathering in Seattle for the annual ALA Midwinter Meeting, and they've got a lot to talk about. Ross Reynolds spoke with ALA President Maureen Sullivan about the future of libraries and how they survive in a digital age.At the top of librarians' agendas are how to manage and expand ebook lending and discover new uses for library spaces. And in this day and age of answers being only a Google search away, libraries must find new ways to stay relevant in the information economy. Although more Americans are using libraries after the recession, the majority of them are now seeking digital services like the Internet and wider ebook selections.

Some libraries are reinventing themselves, playing new roles in the community as "maker spaces" and job training centers. Others, like BiblioTech, a library in Bexar County, Texas, are ditching the paper books all together and going fully digital.

TEDxRainier talk about the future of libraries:

Also check out what some of our listeners had to say about the value of libraries in their lives and others: