Questions 1-11 are based on the following
passage.
Librarians Help Navigate in the Digital Age
In recent years, public libraries in the United States have experienced Q1 reducing in their operating funds due to cuts imposed at the federal, state, and local government levels. Q2 However, library staffing has been cut by almost four percent since 2008, and the demand for librarians continues to decrease, even though half of public libraries report that they have an insufficient number of staff to meet their patrons’ needs. Employment in all job sectors in the United States is projected to grow by fourteen percent over the next decade, yet the expected growth rate for librarians is predicted to be only seven percent, or half of the overall rate. This trend, combined with the increasing accessibility of information via the Internet, Q3 has led some to claim that librarianship is in decline as a profession. As public libraries adapt to rapid technological advances in information distribution, librarians’ roles are actually expanding. The share of library materials that is in nonprint formats Q4 is increasing steadily; in 2010, at least 18.5 million e-books were available Q5 [u]for them to circulate. As a result, librarians must now be proficient curators of electronic information, compiling, Q6 catalog, and updating these collections. But perhaps even more importantly, librarians function as first responders for their communities’ computer needs. Since one of the fastest growing library services is public access computer use, there is great demand for computer instruction. Q7 In fact, librarians’ training now includes courses on research and Internet search methods. Many of whom teach classes in Internet navigation, database and software use, and digital information literacy. While these classes are particularly helpful to young students developing basic research skills, Q8 but adult patrons can also benefit from librarian assistance in that they can acquire job-relevant computer skills. Q9 Free to all who utilize their services, public libraries and librarians are especially valuable, because they offer free resources that may be difficult to find elsewhere, such as help with online job searches as well as résumé and job material development. An overwhelming number of public libraries also report that they provide help with electronic government resources related to income taxes, Q10 law troubles, and retirement programs. In sum, the Internet does not replace the need for librarians, and librarians are hardly obsolete. Q11 Like books, librarians have been around for a long time, but the Internet is extremely useful for many types of research.