Running Head: TECHNOLOGYS IMPACT ON LIBRARIES

Genre Analysis on Technologys Impact on Libraries

Crystal Mendez
UTEP

Introduction
Technology has taken over pretty much every corner of the world and has had a strong
impact. Libraries are not an exception to this. Libraries are having to adjust and make changes in
order to keep up with all the new technology. An example of how technology impacted libraries
is the online article School Libraries from the American Library Association which discusses
how technology and the increase use of the internet has caused librarian reductions and changes
to connectivity, filtering, plagiarism and even students engagement. Another example of how
technology has impacted libraries is the YouTube Video Libraries in the Internet Age by
Common Craft which discusses how libraries are a source of information and how technology
and the internet has increased its access. The two genres School Libraries and Libraries in the
Internet Age analyzes how libraries are affected by technology and the role they play now.
Audience and Purpose
For the online article School Libraries its intended audience are mainly librarians who are
concerned about changes and possibly even educators. The purpose of this article is to inform its
audience through the use of facts and logic. The article provides the intended audience with
information on how exactly technology is affecting them and libraries. It wants the reader to
agree with what they are stating or just make them more conscious to their surroundings. The
audience already knows that libraries have started to adjust with the new technology and increase
use of internet. What they want to know is how exactly are libraries changing or having to adapt
and how it affects them personally. For this genre the amount of time it takes is more or less 15
minutes. It depends how fast of a reader a person is and how easy is the information to
comprehend which include graphs and charts. The language used in the article is formal. They
dont use any type of slang and try to keep it professional for its intended audience. As to

specialized vocabulary that this article uses are words only people familiar with the process of
how libraries work would understand such as licensed databases or filtering (School
Libraries, 2013).
Meanwhile for the YouTube video Libraries in the Internet Age, the intended audience
are students who do research for their school and use libraries as a source of information. The
purpose of the information presented in this genre is to inform the audience on how technology
improves the use of the library as an information source. The video attempts to persuade the
viewer into agreeing with them or just make them more aware of how libraries are still useful
with examples. The audience more than likely know what they can find at a library and just want
to know just how helpful a library could be. The amount of time the audience will spend on this
genre is two minutes with 39 seconds since that is how long the video is. The language being
used is formal since no slang is being used in order to keep it appropriate for the intended
audience. As for the specialized vocabulary being used in this video are words that only teacher,
librarians, and people who are or once were students would have knowledge of. Some examples
of the specialized vocabulary being used are comprehensive websites and research databases
(Common Craft, 2015). The creator of the video might have used terms like these to get into
specifics or bring more knowledge to his argument.
Similarities between both genres are that they are both informing the videos with logic
pertaining to their subject. Both genres keep things formal for their intended audience. However,
there are differences. The online article School Libraries provides more evidence towards the
negative impact technology has on libraries while the YouTube video Libraries in the Internet
Age keeps things on the positive side. Also, the video aims to entertain the audience more than
the article.

Rhetorical Issues
For the online article School Libraries it uses ethos by establishing its credibility through
the inclusion of the sources to the graphs and charts they utilize. An example of this being a chart
that displays the decrease of librarians by 4.27% for the school year of 2010-2011 (School
Libraries, 2013). They also gain credibility by including links within the article itself to other
articles where they got information from and the fact that this article is from the American
Library Association making it effective. Its use of pathos however is weak since the only
emotions it evokes is a sense of reflection or comprehension, possibly even worry librarians. A
sentence from the article that might worry librarians is, The number of school librarians
declined more than other school staff from 2007 to 2011 (School Libraries, 2013). The article
use of logos to support its claims is strong. It uses statistics, graphs, and charts that make the
source seem valid and reliable since it goes with the topic. One statistic that shows logos is, In
2011, respondents to the School Libraries Count! Survey conducted by the American Association
of School (AASL) reported an average of 193.4 school computers with access to library
services, while in 2012, an average of 208.2 school computers were reported (School Libraries,
2013).
For the YouTube video Libraries in the Internet Age its use of ethos is very weak. The
only type of credibility attempt being used is their logos and provide their website which is not
very effective. As for pathos the only emotions this genre is attempting to evoke from its
audience is trying to get the viewer to reflect and understand just like the online article. When it
comes to logos, the video provides examples the viewer can relate to in order to support it claims
and make it more valid. When it comes to similarities towards rhetorical issues both genres dont

really have any besides the pathos. However, the main difference is that the online article has
more evidence supporting its claims.
Structure and Delivery
In the online article the information is organized to convey its message by using different
categories pertaining to the subject. It uses different colors for the font in the category titles to
emphasize its main points. Purple and dark gray are used for labeling the different categories
within the article while blue is used for data. The change in color font was more likely chosen to
make the article more organized and make information easier to find. Other communication
features it uses to get its message through is graphs and charts. The limitations placed on the
information because of the genre is that since its an online article for what seems to be a
respectable association is that it needs to keep it professional and appropriate. The structure
facilitate its purpose by making it more accessible for its readers and makes it easy to find the
exact information needed.
In the YouTube video the information is organized by visuals that demonstrate what is
being talked about. The communication features it uses to contribute to the message is visuals,
different colors, and different fonts. For example, if the video is discussing the databases a visual
demonstrating exactly that will pop up. The creator probably chose this style to appeal more to
students or just for the purpose that people obtain information differently. This form of genre has
more freedom to express their message in an entertaining way. It makes it easier to capture the
viewers attention.
Conclusion
In conclusion, we can see how technology has been affecting every aspect of our daily
lives, especially in libraries, through the genres School Libraries and Libraries in the Internet

Age. Both genres explain how libraries are having to adjust. The genre that was more effective in
conveying its message was the YouTube video Libraries in the Internet age. It was simple and
effective. The video went straight to the point and didnt make things any more complicated than
they should be. However, the online article School Libraries was better at backing up its
statements with evidence. This is why its important to research different genres in order to find
which works best.

References
"School Libraries." American Library Association. American Library Association, 2013. Web. 18
Sept. 2015.
Libraries in the Internet Age. Common Craft, 2015. Film.