Public libraries will soon discontinue from being in their current format of ‘brick and mortar’ as all the books will be available online for everyone’s access. There are certain advantages to this, such as any time accessibility, but a few disadvantages, such as the impact on the overall social experience associated with a public library. This essay meticulously explores both advantages and disadvantages of public libraries existing only online.
Due to the advent of the internet, almost everything has become available with the click of a button. This model will be soon adopted for public libraries which will certainly have many benefits. Online library means that now people will be able to access the library during any time of the day as per their convenience and availability. They do not need to travel to a particular place to read their favourite books and they can read the same from the comfort of their home or anywhere in the world. This ‘online only’ model was adopted in Belgium around 2018 and was very much appreciated by the local residents.
However, switching completely to the online model from the traditional ‘brick and mortar’ style has also got certain disadvantages. Apart from reading books, public libraries have also been a common ground to meet like-minded people. Public libraries have not been only about reading books but the overall environment and unique experience associated with them. Historically, public libraries have been breeding grounds for astonishing social ideas where people from different backgrounds come together and share their varied perspectives. One such example was quoted in a famous book named ‘The children of the midnight’ where public libraries became the epicenter of India’s independence revolution.
To conclude, both the formats have their pros and cons but in my view, the advantages outweigh the disadvantages. We might miss on the holistic experience of a library but also save on other precious commodities such as time and space along with facilitating comfortable and flexible access to the knowledge pool.
Public
libraries will
soon
discontinue from being in their
current
format of ‘brick and mortar’ as all the
books
will be available
online
for everyone’s access. There are certain advantages to this, such as any time accessibility,
but
a few disadvantages, such as the impact on the
overall
social experience associated with a
public
library. This essay
meticulously
explores both advantages and disadvantages of
public
libraries existing
only
online.
Due to the advent of the internet, almost everything has become available with the click of a button. This model will be
soon
adopted for
public
libraries which will
certainly
have
many
benefits.
Online
library means that
now
people
will be able to access the library during any time of the day as per their convenience and availability. They do not need to travel to a particular place to read their
favourite
books and
they can read the same from the comfort of their home or anywhere in the world. This
‘online
only
’ model
was adopted
in Belgium around 2018 and was
very
much appreciated by the local residents.
However
, switching completely to the
online
model from the traditional ‘brick and mortar’ style has
also
got
certain disadvantages. Apart from reading
books
,
public
libraries have
also
been a common ground to
meet
like-minded
people
.
Public
libraries have not been
only
about reading
books
but
the
overall
environment and unique experience associated with them.
Historically
,
public
libraries have been breeding grounds for astonishing social
ideas
where
people
from
different
backgrounds
come
together and share their varied perspectives. One such example
was quoted
in a
famous
book
named ‘The children of the midnight’ where
public
libraries became the epicenter of India’s independence revolution.
To conclude
, both the formats have their pros and cons
but
in my view, the advantages outweigh the disadvantages. We might miss on the holistic experience of a library
but
also
save on other precious commodities such as time and space along with facilitating comfortable and flexible access to the knowledge pool.