

Can libraries survive in a digital world? - sandipc
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/click_online/9421996.stm

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kloncks
Speaking as a college student, many of our campus "libraries" actually have
very little books on-shelf. We have "stacks" where one could go and find
volumes of books and other literary works from decades ago...but we also have
an online database of all that that most students will just use instead when
researching.

That leaves the role of libraries today on my campus. Article discusses people
not going to libraries to read ever again.

In my humble opinion, I don't think the role of libraries today (or tomorrow)
is to have people come in and "read". As much as the digital world can evolve
or destroy previous industries, it still can't replicate an absolutely vital
necessity, in an actual human network. As popular as remote working is, people
still feel the need to work together as a group. As easy as it is for me to
find books online, I'll still go to the library (where I'll find the books
online) for that human interaction and for that community.

That, I don't think the digital world can destroy. Libraries will evolve, but
there will always be a place for them.

~~~
tjr
The internet does not enable two-way communication, but rather, one-way
communication between two or more people.

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migrantgeek
The library isn't dead IMHO, it's just evolving.

I visit my library at least twice a week. I usually don't browse or sit for
very long because I place orders online and pick them up when they are in.

There are shelves with the books people have requested lined up by last name.
The size of this section is probably 60% of the rest of the books indicating
that most people use this method for checking out books.

I own a Kindle and it's OK but I like real books and because I read 2 or 3
books per week, it's nice to have a low cost solution.

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jimmarq
My wife and I check out about 2 dozen books a week from our local library.
That's usually 20 childrens book for our 3 year old and 4 for us. I don't
think digital will be replacing our library experience, ever.

In college, however, I only checked out 1 book over 4 years. All of my books
had to be purchased, or I was able to use online references.

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jamesbritt
Related discussion: <http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=2409868>

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hook
Only as museums containing artifacts from an ancient age when people used to
"print" information on physical sheets of wood pulp.

