BY CARLOS FINLAY

Libraries. This mere noun may conjure up a sigh or rolling of the eyes, but they may be more beneficial than the monthly DVD or book rental.

Perhaps you may even find a reason for the sparkling, never-before-used Dorchester Library card resting in your wallet.

These silent rooms of endless bookshelves, librarians and comfortable seating seem to have become slightly redundant; the internet appears to be better stocked with knowledge.

Why should one leave the comfort of one’s own home when Google offers all the information anyone could possibly need? Even as books become digitalised, people are seeing less reason to use the local library – aside from a convenient meeting point.

Until your phone chimes at receiving a message, all productivity at home vanishes and any measure of concentration is bequeathed to your phone.

Don’t deny it; we’ve all been there. However, what libraries offer that the internet doesn’t is the experience. Especially for revision, these vast and diverse book hubs effectively offer the entirety of their innards at your fingertips – all in absolute silence.

They should therefore not be overlooked as an ideal place to work or study, offering no obvious source of distraction.

Although a handful of people are seeing the academic benefit of using Dorchester’s library, it ought to be advocated that many more take advantage of its incredible stock and study environment.