Did you know?
There’s a big difference between a Web search and research.
The “digital divide” is real, and libraries are dedicated to bridging it.
Librarians are information experts.
The American Library Association (ALA), which promotes “library service and librarianship,” is the oldest library association in the United States, dedicated to the principles of Diversity, Equity of Access, Education, Intellectual Freedom, and 21st-Century Literacy. As its “Libraries Transform” site points out, a Google search might yield millions of results, but a librarian is uniquely qualified help you to find answers that are true, relevant, and current. In a time of information overload, when sophisticated technology can make it hard to distinguish fact from fiction, libraries—and librarians—are more important than ever.
With ALA's National Library Week in full swing, DSFederal is proud to support a number of Federal government libraries that serve scientists and researchers, including the U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID) Medical Library,
Sarah Clarke, DSFederal Librarian supporting the USAMRIID Medical Research Library, emphasized librarians' focus on service to information-seekers: "The USAMRIID Medical Library is constantly transforming as the needs of patrons change - in March, we increased the number of computers we have available for patron use, and we are constantly adding titles to our library's electronic resources in order to expand our collection", she writes. "Our hope is to provide our patrons with the resources they need most...there is no request too big or too small!"
CEO Sophia Parker echoed this sentiment, highlighting the universal need for access to information. Said Parker in a statement, "As an advocate for education, especially for the poorest and most disenfranchised people in the world, I've seen the transformative power of books and libraries firsthand."
DSFederal supports major Federal government research libraries, including the National Agricultural Library, the USAMRIID Medical Research Library, and the National Transportation Library, and we are pleased to join the American Library Association (ALA) in celebrating National Library Week, April 9 – 15, 2017.