I live in Melbourne, Australia. I have cards with the state library, Melbourne city libraries, yarra city council libraries, and a membership with a small private library also in the city.
Firstly, books are still superior to e-readers (which i have and use), and far better than trying to read on a screen. I'll always get the physical copy if i can, and there's still a large number of books which don't have electronic copies. And apart from sci-hub, how else am i supposed to access half of the materials that universities subscribe to if i'm not a member of the library?
Secondly, they provide a quiet space in the city and community where you can go and dedicate to reading, investigation and study without requiring private space (which not everyone has): an egalitarian space. Open to everyone, neither differentiated by money nor access to private space, which is a premium in cities. The libraries variously provide classes, community groups, meeting facilities, IT and technology, television/video facilities,
and event spaces. Yarra libraries has some television screens set up with gaming consoles which I notice the local refugee and public-housing community love to use. There's cafes and eating spaces in at least 3 of the library branches I use. They also provide regularly rotating exhibitions. One provides regular performance music and events.
I value libraries because they maintain an ideal: that knowledge is free, valuable, for the whole community, and that this is important to society, above and separate from private business and the pursuit of money.
Firstly, books are still superior to e-readers (which i have and use), and far better than trying to read on a screen. I'll always get the physical copy if i can, and there's still a large number of books which don't have electronic copies. And apart from sci-hub, how else am i supposed to access half of the materials that universities subscribe to if i'm not a member of the library?
Secondly, they provide a quiet space in the city and community where you can go and dedicate to reading, investigation and study without requiring private space (which not everyone has): an egalitarian space. Open to everyone, neither differentiated by money nor access to private space, which is a premium in cities. The libraries variously provide classes, community groups, meeting facilities, IT and technology, television/video facilities, and event spaces. Yarra libraries has some television screens set up with gaming consoles which I notice the local refugee and public-housing community love to use. There's cafes and eating spaces in at least 3 of the library branches I use. They also provide regularly rotating exhibitions. One provides regular performance music and events.
I value libraries because they maintain an ideal: that knowledge is free, valuable, for the whole community, and that this is important to society, above and separate from private business and the pursuit of money.