Some people believe that public libraries are essential for a well-functioning society, while others think that they are becoming outdated due to the rise of digital information sources. Discuss both views and give your opinion.
In today’s digital era, gaining access to information can be as simple as several clicks on a computer mouse. The rise of Internet has undeniably lowered the importance of public libraries. On one hand, some argue that libraries are now obsolete facilities in light of rapid technological advancement. On the other hand, there are individuals such as myself still holding the firm belief that they are still an indispensable constituent of an ideal society.
The proponents of the notion that public libraries are no longer necessary contend that the convenience and accessibility of digital information sources brought by the Internet has vastly outpaced the use of a physical library. In fact, there has been a significant decline of library usage over the years since 2000. The necessity of maintaining public libraries at the expense of considerable government fundings has therfore become questionable. Nevertheless, this view is primarily based on the assumption that the majority of the population is tech-savvy. They also assumed that Internet users generally have the ability to discriminate between sources, which may not be true for some people, especially for young students.
Meanwhile, the people advocating that public libraries are still necessitated in today’s world propose that libraries are not only a place for accessing information, but also a place for the public to gather and students to study. Having access to physical books and various other multimedia resources such as CDs and DVDs, students have an easier time sifting information and marshaling facts for their assignments and dissertations without worrying too much about the credibility of the sources compared to using the Internet. Moreover, copyrighted materials can be borrowed at a low to no costs in a library. The same may not hold for the Internet. Yet another advantage of going to the library instead of staying elsewhere is that the users can enjoy the much needed tranquility there to finish tasks that require a high level of concentration. This is definitely irreplacable by the Internet.
In my opinion, while the Internet has undoubtedly given us unprecedented ease in navigating through a variety of digital information sources, it is still incapable of replacing public libraries, as they are not merely a source of information. In fact, they play several pivotal roles in the society, such as being a place for reading and studying, acting as a community resource and providing affordable access to copyrighted materials. Even though the reliance on them has inevitably diminished given how hassle-free the Intenet is, public libraries still remain as invaluable amenities in the society.