Do you think libraries, the way we know them, will eventually disappear completely?

Question

Lliam · Accepted Answer

I don't think so. I certainly hope not.

City libraries have been evolving with the times, offering not only books, but music CDs, movies on DVD, computer access, and even home access to books and movies on Hoopla.

Libraries are peaceful refuges where people can relax and read or congregate in conference rooms. They sometimes offer activities and conferences with guest speakers.

Libraries are community hubs.

And think of national libraries, university libraries and research libraries that contain books that have not been digitized. Of course, those libraries are for people who can actually read and understand, unlike the growing number of people who think reading means reading text messages and researching means looking at the internet.

Some libraries like the one in the photo are beautiful, historic treasures full of vast knowledge.

I admit that I haven't checked a book out of a library for years. I buy copies of the ones I want to read. I am interested in the kind of history books that contain information that is censored on-line.
But I do check out books on CD when I travel. I have listened to hundreds of wonderful novels in my car that I wouldn't spend time reading in a book.

MisterWack · Accepted Answer

Since a lot of our culture, history, and politics are found inside those books on the shelf, well organized. I highly doubt libraries will be extinct.

Yes digital is more accessible, although a lot of books aren’t archived also curated in such a way that you get with physical libraries.

Knowledge is power so, those wanting power will go seeking knowledge and information even from our libraries of knowledge.

madhatters4 · Answer

no. i think we'll have them for research, for records storage, and especially for children. parents still read books to their children. a lot. we go to the library probably once a week and there are always plenty of people there

we may see fewer libraries, smaller libraries, libraries that specialize in a certain thing (research, storing records, etc) but i don't think they will disappear anytime soon if at all

KimmySchmit · Answer

Some people these days are advocating for libraries to be saved for various reasons, often though do not use them themselves. Here's why I think libraries should be allowed to die.

1. They are Obsolete

In 2019 the entire content of every single library in the world not just my basic local library is available to me on a tiny hand held device such as an i-pad and that's up to date information not encylopedias from the 1920s. A portable reader like a Kindle or iPad, the convenience of accessing books on a beach, up a mountain, or anywhere else for that matter, can be irresistible. The sheer speed of research and interactivity of the internet make it an altogether richer experience than traditional libraries.

2. Environmental & financial reasons.

Libraries are large buildings that are mostly vacant except for the books inside, but these buildings need to be heated and maintained. Many are very old buildings which makes maintaining and heating them extremely costly, and to make them more environmentally sound would be expensive and not very effective. There's also the staff that have to be paid which costs the taxpayers money as libraries do not generate any money. Then there is the effect on the environment with all the trees from the Amazon being cut down just for the paper alone. All this completely unnecessary considering a person can access all the information they want on their tablet warm in their own home with minum co2 and monetary expenditure.

3. Libraries are misused.

Libraries are now places where all manner of people congregate such a drug users, alcoholics homeless people, peadophilles and other sex offenders and though I sympathise with homeless people though many are violent and unsanitary the money used funding large empty buildings would be better spent on homeless shelters. Honestly I can't imagine taking kids to a public library these days. Old people like to congregate there to read & sit or whatever but they can do that in coffee shops, community centres or old people homes. Some would argue that libraries now are mostly to do with internet & computer access for those that have no access which is fine, so a building with no books a free internet openzone for wifi access, a few tablets and about 20 computers in a room or small building that doesn't cover half an acre with books would suffice that need. My local library is a notorious place for teens to snog though it's recently become synonymous for dogging, combined with the alcoholics, drug abusers and pervs it's a recipe for disaster.

4. Books are vandalised.

You know what I'm talking about some cretin has gone to the bother of drawing penises & boobs in a book you've picked up or worse left you a gift in the green form of boggars on the page. Once i picked a photography to find the pages with female nudes stuck together.( of course boys will be boys). I read books that people have edited, some have been censored while others have had their endings revealed midway through the book or even the last pages of a climatic ending ripped out.

5. Libraries are not needed as a local forum.

Engage in local democracy some might say, that Community forums in libraries are the perfect place to meet and engage in local politics because they're neutral, non-judgemental spaces, that Libraries do so much more than just give information, there are community discussion groups and reading groups where you can talk about green initiatives or economic issues. Well again this is really grasping at straws there are other places you can do that from town halls to community centres, places that actually serve a real purpose in soceity in 2019.

6. Most things a library can do is surplus to requirement.

From entertaining kids with puppet shows, to art exhibits, to reading programmes for kids, to information awareness, to charity you name it can be performed by another organisation. Want to teach kids to read or lend them books or show them a puppet show well why not use the local school library. Having an art exhibit then why not a gallery or the town hall. Having a charity event well why not anywhere else?

7. Libraries have changed

What we think of as "The Library" is no longer the Library, "The Library" is now a global digital database not some dusty old building that houses the relics of the printing press. There's been a revolution in how we access information, it's time we all got with the times.

8. Books are heavy

Part if the reason libraries are obsolete is that books are heavy. Carrying around any real amount if knowledge in book form is damaging. Who knows how many school kids grew up to have bad posture and develop back problems thanks to all the heavy text books they had to hump around to & from school, thankfully those days are soon to be over for good.

Conclusion:

Certain historic libraries should be saved but the fact is that libraries are now completely obsolete and unnecessary to justify the taxpayers continuing to fund them especially as the public is no longer using them and instead is using the internet and reading books online. Now libraries are attempting to adapt to the new reality of information & books available fast at the tap of a few keys but ultimately they've served their purpose and no amount of yoga classes can save them. So why not save the taxpayer's money and save the environment by shutting down the majority of libraries and make better use of the taxpayer's money and the property libraries occupy.

Libraries i applaud your long service to society and civilisation but it's time for you to die.

WindAtMyBack · Answer

Eventually is a very long time so who knows. I don't see it happening in the foreseeable future. Libraries are still very popular and serve a good purpose. They have changed over the years though, and generally kept up with changes in society and technology.

Around me the libraries are not disappearing. It's just the opposite. They are spending a lot of money increasing the size, and improving the libraries. They are also adding a lot of services. For example I can get a book from anywhere in the world. I can stream movies, read e-books and audio books, listen to streaming music, take language lessons, or lessons on many other topics. They have a lot of events, especially for children. They have help with homework and tutoring for both children and adults. They have paid subscription services like Ancestry, automotive manuals, legal forms and wizards (I did my will that way), financial services, etc.

They have plenty of meeting rooms, which get a lot of use. They also have individual sized study rooms which also get a lot of use. The media room has thousands of music CDs, movies and audio books. They even have video and board games that can be checked out.

Maybe_Maybe_not · Answer

Not a chance, in my opinion

Many parents are depending on libraries. Take a kid reading 5 books a week, without a library, it would cost parents a month worth of groceries to satisfy kids.

Students are depending on libraries to get documentation and places to study.

Comic book readers would get mad if they had to pay for what they read, since a comic book is read in 15 minutes and often costs 10+ €

I don't see any city council de-funding libraries, that would quite bad for their image and in turn their political power

OneViewpoint · Answer

Yes and no. Libraries have become obsolete for the storage of common ordinary fictional literature and academic texts. The internet and digital server farms eliminate access and storage problems along with costs. You can now access the totality (more or less) of human knowledge from anywhere on Earth at any time of day no matter where you are.

But libraries may become elitist museums for the preservation of rare historic texts or significant documents produced in the future. Think the Vatican or the US Library Of Congress. However that means far fewer public libraries. And far fewer librarians. What will survive is facilities at major universities or major cities and governments.

Amazon has become a digital library for textbooks and fiction in many languages and it's a private enterprise. When's the last time you saw a private, for profit, brick and mortar library? As Bob Dylan wrote, "The Times They A Changing".

HawkPerception · Answer

Hmm... it's a good question. I think there's a desire to read hard copies of books, especially for my generation and older. People in my generation or older tend to romanticize holding a book and flipping through the pages quite a bit. Not me though. I prefer to save space and have as many books as I want on a single device.

I think the desire to read hard copies of books will inevitably dwindle and eventually die out as the years pass. There will be very few people who collect them just because there's always collectors, but other than that, no.

Libraries will likely still be around more as a public service and space to get information, host events, and a sitting space, which they already do, but they will not have hard copies of books around anymore. Everything will likely move to digital.

Friendlybro79 · Answer

In a generation or two they will. Tech is advancing so fast kids have to adapt to that instead of learning old things, like books. I believe libraries will not be on their list of priorities.

Having to physically go there and waist fuel, transportation costs, and time to get there, will be torture for them. I mean ask a 10 year old to watch a full 2 hour movie, and look at their reaction. So to waste time and money first, then actually not have instant gratification, and search for a book, is too complicated and inefficient for them.

On one hand you only know what you know. It's not their fault. On the other hand this makes me very sad.

AviatorTom · Answer

Libraries have always existed and most likely always will. In ancient times, libraries like the Library of Alexandria, contained scrolls and clay tablets. More recently, a typical library contained books, papers and magazines. Now, most libraries contain digital items that can be read, searched and scanned. In the future, it's likely that libraries will contain even more digital equipment, including access to many databases.

KBird · Answer

I dont think so. In terms of 'book storage' I think they will become a lot smaller, but not disappear completely. At University, we now have a "digital library", where very few books are stored, and more office space is provided. Most books have been digitized, however, you are able to request a physical book which can be 'delivered' to that library for pickup. The new storage location for the books is off-campus in a warehouse in the country side.

purplepoppy · Answer

Modern books are often available online but there's tonnes that are only in print and there's still a lot of people who like browsing libraries to see what catches their eye. I think the printed word still carries more weight than online, especially if the books stood the test of time.

exitseven · Answer

Libraries have been evolving for a while. They have more internet resources and provide instructional services to citizens. They loan music CDs and movie DVDs and subscribe to multiple internet publications. That being said, I really do not spend as much time at the library as I once did,

RandomGirl42 · Answer

I think they will change but not disappear. Like our little library also offers computers and is also the historical society and they often have plant/bake/book sales there and raffle off a canoe or b-b-q grill and that always draws a crowd.

NaultD · Answer

Libraries could be the new beacon hub honestly. As we're starving to death from real world experience and as online subscriptions become higher and higher with less work available Libraries will become a Hotspot.

As reading ability is at it's lowest point right now i can see new parents now focus on just reading ability for there kids. If you got a kid thats good at reading they can conquer the world honestly.

nolabels · Answer

I very recently asked that of a librarian.
She replied "no" to me, that libraries are still valuable to communities and are likely to remain so.

That's from the horse's mouth.
One horse's mouth, anyway.

For what it's worth.

Cheers!

Simslover92 · Answer

I don't think they will completely disappear but they will become more modernized and unfortunately include more AI, making it harder for many of us Librarians to have a place in the libraries but I don't think they will completely eradicate the use of Librarians. We will just have a more transformative role where we work closely with AI.

Tarifa · Answer

I don't think so, and certainly hope they won't. Local schools are organizing group vistis to libraries, there are reading sessions... so I hope something will remain with the younger generation.

Our hectic lifestyle may prevent us from taking enough time to read. Going to a library to get some books is like a a declaration of intent. You don't bother if you won't have the time, or interest.

Razp_Sorbet · Answer

I dont think they will disappear completely but they have definitely already changed over the years. When I was a kid the local library had 2 computers you could use, now there's 10 + and more tables to bring in your own laptop/ tablet to do work. The YA section was barely a whole row now its two, Fantasy section was just a couple shelves now its multiple rows.
Yeah the history and geography sections have gotten smaller but people still have a love for books and likely always will.

jshm2 · Answer

Yes. They are mostly useless in this day and age.

They were mostly built for a different era.

However, the concept of a library will be drastically reformed as a public space. So there will be a lot less books and tomes. and a lot more computers and sitting areas.

Anonymous · Answer

They pretty much are now, they are old buildings full of books no one uses, and mostly serve as homeless shelters. You couldn't use a library now if you wanted to, every seat has been so soiled and infected because of this policy of letting homeless people take over whatever public spaces they want to. And librarians converted to curating digital media long ago. There is absolutely no use for physical libraries anymore.

sage2021 · Answer

I sure hope not!! I love the smell of an old library and touching books and the card index with my hands. And being surrounded by the words on pages from so many people and it's all in one place! The Library!!

Ms_Facesitter · Answer

I hope not. I don't visit them to read, it's a safe space. A quiet safe place for me to get work done, to think, whatever I need to do that requires distancing myself from the chaos of the world around me.

ElenaSeluna · Answer

In US libraries are very important and you see them everywhere…I don’t think it’ll disappear soon at least here

Anonymous · Answer

Not anytime soon. My library has been offering HOOPLA which is an online book library for about the pat 15 years. I remember when they first got it thinking how in no time the brick and mortar library would be obsolete. Because who's going to choose that over the convenience of doing it all online. Well, the library is still there, and as popular as ever. I guess enough people just love the feel of the written word on paper still.

888theGreat · Answer

They are obsolete with the internet now. They are tax burdens for the taxpayers. Not many people use them. You must pay for upkeep and pay people to sit all day collecting checks. Prime example of a good cut for local governments to say money.

BadApple69 · Answer

Sadly yes. At some point we will have AI scan all the books in the known world and then the books will be stored away never to be read again. Then when AI fails us and it will we will be without the knowledge of the ages.

NoDecision · Answer

Well, look what happened to the Library at Alexandria. All gone and all the knowledge it held with it.

MissSunshine2 · Answer

Yes, eventually we'll be borrowing programs and tablets. etc.

RavVid · Answer

Maybe they become shelf-less libraries with e-readers on desks. They do provide reading spaces. I love the domed reading room in my state library - so cool.

CupcakeTheDestroyer · Answer

No, I think librarians are too essential even now for that to happen

Miristheiss · Answer

No. Too many people use the computers.

Cyfris · Answer

Maybe public libraries as more content move digital but there will always be repositories of books saved for eternity.

Shiprex · Answer

I hope not. They are a place for those who do not wish to be glued to a screen to be able to enjoy intellectually peaceful places away from noise and distraction

slatyb · Answer

Not soon. Many people prefer reading print. But my library does have digital copies to borrow, so maybe that's the future.

darkcloud1945 · Answer

No, when the DEMOCRATIC COMMUNIST PARTY of AMERICA ever comes to power, read the books called Farehite 451 and 1984, and you will find out what happens, and while you're at it, read Soylent Green, and you will see a food source for the future

abc3643 · Answer

No. For a variety of reasons the primary being you do not need power to read printed material.

BrittneyHl · Answer

Probably but I hope not. They are really nice

Sal_Monella · Answer

Some physical libraries will become historic sites. Others will close except for documents not available online.

GrammariklyIncorrekt · Answer

Never really thought that but I could see that happening. At least the type that have physical books.

SeekerOfTruth007 · Answer

No. There's always going to be a place for holding a physical copy of good books.

Jeff51 · Answer

Probably not. The main city library should be ok.

AgentG111 · Answer

Possibly, many are evolving into central areas of knowledge and electrical hubs, as PC s and Internet needs and still offer research.

loveslongnails · Answer

Only in the USA. The rest of the world still wants to learn.

KostasKouvalis · Answer

Since everything is online now, I think in SOME places they will, but not everywhere

LC75LC71 · Answer

No. They are publicly funded whether anyone likes it or not.

Anonymous · Answer

I hope not. I occasionally get books / articles from the university library for my work. I work in a highly technical field in industry.

Cidknee · Answer

Yes. There still may be the brick and mortar type but mostly as a semi museum type.

fish5505_87 · Answer

It's sad, but as we know them yes, but maybe not as quick as some people think!

BCRanger10 · Answer

I most certainly hope not.

Anonymous · Answer

They'll evolve at a much slower pace since they're government funded

Bricealan · Answer

@thegreenyogi I hope not!

Xawyx-2 · Answer

I hope not, I kinda like libraries.

Nikki1989 · Answer

Not completely, no.

Alex-Snow · Answer

Watch out AI is coming!

Anonymous · Answer

I’m not sure if they will but I hope not

oldman26 · Answer

Probably, but hard copies are valuable,

robocop666 · Answer

No they will always exist.

Staximus · Answer

Hopefully not

Anonymous · Answer

Not in our lifetime.

TonyMetal___86 · Answer

I think so yes

MereAnarchy · Answer

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