libraries no more

Libraries will remain. They have already found out that new technology doesn't last! Visit your local library and ask to see the micro-fiche archives. Yes, that idea didn't last long, did it? CD's are rare, DVD's are on the way out, blueray just will never be affordable, etc. Tomorrow? Let's keep the books , just in case!

Well, I think your hypothesis is predicated on a not too distant future. Assuming that we are already in the age of the ebook, then even the network volumes directly are already digitized, so I also believe that libraries with paper format texts, tend to disappear. And that pleases me, as it involves a saving of paper, and therefore an improvement toward nature.

Not completely I don't think, because people still like to borrow books, and of course to browse through libraries: for many people I imagine this is an enormous pleasure. However, when it comes to research, say for an academic degree, the internet has obviously stolen a lot of thunder from libraries. I'm not an expert, but it seems to me libraries in some form will always surely exist, if for nothing else than the preservation of valuable books: libraries have existed for centuries, and will not be dying out any time soon as I see it. And of course, libraries work in tandem with the internet. There was a time when for me browsing through a library was a blissful experience; but I became increasingly - and obsessively - time-conscious. Today, I like to get information as quickly as possible; I don't feel I have the time to browse through libraries in a relaxed and leisurely manner. That's just me. I'm a time puritan, you could say. But who knows, i may be back in a library again before too long...after all, there is something special about libraries, is there not? I think so.

no, i don't think they will ever be phased out simply because they have adapted with the times. our local library offers free ebooks for a loan plus blu rays, video games, courses, etc.

I think we do need libraries. There are still alot of people who do not and cannot afford the internet nor a computer. If electic goes down we can still read our books. I think to have the libraries is important to people of all ages.

I don't think so. Even if e-books are starting to get popular, there are still quite a few people who'd love to read paperbacks or hardbound books. Besides, books are great sources and references of things that you usually need to know about. They are an indispensable thing for our acquisition of knowledge.

Sadly, that is what it is looking like! Post offices will probably soon disappear, so I guess libraries will also be next in line! I studied Librarianship, but its been years since the last time I was in a library!

My mom used to be a librarian before she retired. Her last job was reference librarian and she helped people find information. These days these kinds of people find this info on the Internet. Libraries in those days had books, tapes and videos. Now the libraries in my local area provide one hour per day Internet access. Typically the reference part of the library is smaller. I believe the library is fun for children. I don't like the fines for returning the book late. I love books. I have four library books out at the moment and I often buy my own books too. It will be a shame if libraries disappear. I guess in twenty years time libraries may well be phased out. Some people are not literate with the Internet and young kids like picture books. Even people like me that do use the Internet still go to the library.

I think that eventually, there is a slight chance that libraries will be phased out because of the invention of e-book readers. However, I still enjoy reading a paper book now and again, but must admit that most books I get now are in e-book format. Friends of mine still visit libraries and borrow books, but not so much as they used to. I think perhaps 10 to 20 years may see a difference in library book borrowing. I guess though that it remains to be seen. _Derek

I think that eventually libraries are going to be phased out. The simple fact is that now that eReaders have come into play, there will be a system at some point where you are able to pay a certain amount every month and be able to "borrow" the books on your device. You should be able to have them on your device for a period of two weeks, and then be able to "renew" them for a small fee to be able to have them for a further two weeks. This is more likely to happen than people staying in libraries, and I don't think that this is always going to be a bad thing.

I hope not. But i am guilty i might be part of this..as i am fond of downloading ebooks online - for FRee! anyways, i hope not as i love hanging out with libraries, i could remember back in high school i used to stay at the library during free time..and i want my kids to experience all that too

I love to read a "real" book in bed but I imagine that my grandchildren do not do it the same way. There might come a time where the kind of books I have always read will be obsolete, but it won´t happen while I´m alive so I won´t worry about it.

Well many of the libraries out there do seem to be failing. I know around here for instance, there used to be three pretty good libraries and most likely a couple of okay ones. And now there is only one that is around and it is struggling. There will always be an audience of people who read books...well as long as the generations that are around who grew up on reading actual books are still around. However, will that audience be the one that sustains libraries for the long term? I don't know and I think that we might feel the point where the Internet, e readers, has really taken a chunk. Granted, some libraries have mitigated that by offering Internet access for a small fee for those without Internet access but that is really not as common today as it was ten years ago.

I'd hate to see that happen because I love books - real books. I don't know why I love the smell of books. I love flipping the pages and feeling the pages - glossy pages are smooth, paperbacks are rough, etc. Maybe in the future, there would still be libraries, but they would be more like museums. Or instead of the books, you'll be seeing e-readers in the libraries, so it would be more like a cyber cafe. The thought makes me a little sad.

I still love going to the library and borrowing books. Sometimes when I want to read a new author instead of going out and buying the book I will go to the library and borrow a book from that author and read it. If I like it then I will borrow a second book just to make sure. Sometimes I end up liking one book but not liking other books by the same author.

It is a sad truth that the libraries are fading out soon from the knowledge scenario.Yet it is quite unlikely that interest in reading would be pushed to the oblivion in the foreseeable future.Reading a printed text has its own merits...the joy of reading is much more comfortable and soothing than being able to read things on a computer monitor.

I think that there will still be the existence of libraries so long as there are paper books even though we are enjoying the convenience of the Internet where we can search any information we need. It is true that fewer people are going to borrow books from the libraries, yet it still has the value to have them. Our school has three libraries. And the students are arranged to read in the libraries once a week. They have a reading class in the library for them to read anything they are interested in...

Eventually this could happen. For now though there are still people in the world that can not afford computers and ipads.

There are people who still prefer reading a book to reading stuff on the computer. There are even a few people who do not own a computer.

I don't think that the library will ever be phased out. We need the library as much as the internet. Why? Because people still read books. As long as they read, there will always be library. Simply put, should the technology we have go down, we'll all end up going back to the library.