HOT SPRINGS -- Once the central repositories of information, libraries are undergoing a sea change in the information age.
So it is with the Garland County Library, where patrons who had previously relied on its genealogical and historical troves to trace their origins can now do so remotely through online databases. No longer a necessary intermediary between the past and the present, the Hiram Whittington Arkansas Local History and Genealogy Room lapsed into a forlorn space.
"We've noticed a dramatic decrease in the use of that room," said library Director John Wells, who suggested to the library board that the room be repurposed as a meeting space. "You'd walk by, and no one was in there. A lot of what was used in genealogical research is now available online. They're not using that stuff here when they can sit at home and do it all day long."
The materials are in the process of being moved to the Garland County Historical and Melting Pot Genealogical societies, where they'll continue to be available to the public.
"The historical society fell over themselves," Wells said. "It was manna from heaven. It was a happy marriage that works for everyone."
Ledgers bearing original minutes from Hot Springs' earliest City Council meetings in the 1870s and '80s are among the items that have entailed on the historical society.
"We're grateful John's keeping those books in the community, so local people can have access to them," said Liz Robbins, executive director of the historical society.
The societies are still selecting items for their collections. Wells said he'll have to decide where to place the materials they leave behind before the room can be transitioned into a meeting area. Providing a communal space is a means to maintaining libraries' relevance as e-books and other digital platforms continue to erode their traditional role as an information hub.
The Internet has made libraries optional to the transaction that joins society to information. Knowledge that previously reposed exclusively inside their brick-and-mortar confines is now broadly diffused across the Web. Remaining sensitive to this changing landscape will ensure libraries aren't pushed into the anachronistic territory populated by relics once deemed indispensable.
"If you don't roll with the times, you're going to go out of business with the buggy whip factories," Wells said. "There aren't any more buggy whip factories, because they couldn't change. We're changing. We're evolving."
Rather than entrenching, the library has integrated into the digital transformation. It offers Hoopla, an online streaming service for public libraries to bring their patrons an extensive catalog of movies, television, music and audio books. Kindles are available for checkout, and patrons can access TumbleBook, an online collection of talking picture books for children, from their home computers.
The library remains a relevant information center for those isolated by the digital divide. It's a place to acquire new skills and learn how to take on do-it-yourself projects. Tai chi classes began this month for seniors, indicating the library's progression from stodgy reading room to recreational venue.
"We've evolved into a self-education and recreation for all ages," Wells said. "We're offering gaming, dance classes, whatever it takes to get people in here. We're a community facility, and we're changing with the times. We'll do whatever it takes to please the people of Garland County, whether it's fun, recreational or educational activities.
The Melting Pot Genealogical Society, 649B Ouachita Ave., is dedicated to the assimilation and preservation of historical and genealogical documents. It's open 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. weekdays and the second Saturday of each month.
The Historical Society, 328 Quapaw Ave., is open 8 a.m. to noon weekdays.
State Desk on 08/31/2014