Google can bring you back 100, 000 answers, a librarian can bring you back the right one.

Neil Gaiman

Note: I have chosen to use the term ‘librarian’ throughout this article, but library technicians and other staff also perform reference services in many libraries. Their contributions should not be discounted.

Many years ago, a librarian’s role was quite different to what we might think of their position today. They were considered to be navigators, keepers of knowledge, wayfinders. You, a seeker, entered a book-encrusted building and they helped you find what you wanted. Now of course, in this era of information overload, the idea of seeking help from an actual person to quench our thirst for knowledge seems a bit, well, old-fashioned. And for a while there, I was inclined to agree. The internet was still shiny and new, full of promise. But as the years have gone by, the cracks in our information architecture have started to show. Amidst the barrage of fake news, a weakened media, populist politicians and the rise of social media, it’s clear we still need navigators, fact-checkers and information literacy professionals to bulldoze through the thorny swamp of content. Now, it’s clear that the library professional is needed more than ever. Here’s why they’re superior to Google.

Learn from an information professional

Many folks don’t know this, but your librarian, much like your pharmacist, is a powerful reference asset. And like your pharmacist, their knowledge is highly underutilised. Your librarian is your key to research, media and information literacy. A good librarian won’t only show you the way to what you’re seeking, but teach you how to find it. Teach a man to fish, and all that.

Unlike Google, a reference librarian will ask probing questions, pick up on unspoken cues, and have personal experience that could prove useful. In the public sphere, a librarian will likely have a range of skills: they will have led storytimes, curated resources, taught IT classes, run events and wrangled with social media. Most importantly, they will have the uniquely human ability to intuit the root of the question you are asking, opening up new avenues for research that an algorithm based on a popularity contest may find tough going.

Privacy is paramount

Many librarians have advised on resources that address delicate topics, and unlike websites that use cookies, won’t track your data (most library staff are the essence of disgression). They won’t make money from it, either. In fact, many librarians are staunch defenders of the right to privacy. Following the implementation of the Patriot Act in the U.S., a small band of library professionals known as ‘The Conneticut Four’ took issue with the FBI’s demands to turn over user data and the gag order that maintained their anonymity. So much so, that they fought the government in court over it. The government ended up dropping the case, and they continue to campaign for civil liberties today.

Librarians can strengthen your online search skills

It’s not currently possible to search all of the resources available online with a simple Google search – one of the biggest omissions is those possessed by libraries and archives. Librarians can show you how to find and use these resources (for example, journals, archives and advanced catalogue searching). An information professional can show you how to broaden or narrow your search, apply limiters and think laterally to cast the net wide enough to encompass your answer. They will also have the keys to resources you will likely need to pay for as an external user. Sometimes these are hidden away in the depths of a library’s website, or they are accessed via a national or state library. A good reference librarian will help you find these hidden gems.

Community connections

Librarians know about events, local resources and the best coffee in the area, guaranteed. Even better, they are a real flesh-and-blood person, and if you’ve ever called your bank only to be met with a stream of ‘please press X to access your account’ type-requests, you know the value (and speed) of speaking to a real person.

A powerful search engine with a heart

Most importantly, a librarian, unlike a machine, will listen. I’ve heard stories of library staff being present when someone is in crisis – the person might not feel comfortable going to a doctor or counsellor for help, but the library feels safe to them. I believe this is why it’s so important that every library have a seperate space where staff can talk to a patron in distress. Making that human connection coupled with the knowledge to guide a patron towards further help can be very healing. And that’s something no search engine can do.