Will Libraries Become Obsolete?

The next book I'm going to read is A Thousand Splendid Sons by the author of The Kite Runner which I loved. I planned to go to the library to get this for a biz trip....hoping its in paper back for lite travel (should be since its been out for a while).

My Auntie Ellen recommended this site which I use all the time--Abe books for cheap used books. But seeing that A Thousand Spendid Sons is bound to be at the BH library, I'm going to go and get it.

Do you have a Kindle? Never intended to get a Kindle. Would love to get one but too cheap! Perhaps I'll read books on an ipad, which I can use for other purposes. You have to buy the Kindle, and buy the book. At the library, its free. Its the Chinese in me, cheap, cheap cheap. Many people always go to the library to get books, guess who i'm thinking of wink, wink, wink.

Which makes me wonder, as people move to the Kindle or other reading devices, will libraries become obsolete? Kids are moving to the Internet as normal matter of course for homework and research. College kids are moving to the Internet for research. Will there not be enough traffic at the library for them to remain? Will anyone know the Dewey decimal system?

My mother used to take us to the library. NYC Public Library, Chatham Square Branch on East Broadway (I think). You remember your library card JULIE TSANG NYC Public Library. If you were late, it was five cents. I left my card on a table once and the librarian shouted out, "Julie Tsang, Julie Tsang".... I ran and got my card back. Your only form of ID at 10.

We'd go on class trips to the library. Or sometimes we'd tell my mother we were going to the library. We'd really go, but just hang out there. I remember once a bum was hanging out in the library and the librarian had to chase him away. Smelly, dirty, where else do some people have to go? Nowadays people go to the library for the free Internet.

My aunt and Grandma lived on Henry street and their back windows faced the back of the library. Long window, long shelves, I could see the people walking through the library - searching for books. Felt like I was spying on the library customers. What were they doing? What were they looking for? Librarians with glasses and bouffant hairdo's. My aunt goes to that branch now, what is it like?

Have you ever been to the 42nd St. library? Not a soul on earth can walk in there without feeling intimidated. Remember trying to do some homework, research and walking out unfulfilled. Basically no ordinary human can figure out how to find the books without help. Look around and see the rows of books and people, quiet, stately, researching, Gee, I'm not one of you, let me out of here. Back to the lions, outside, sunshine, pigeons.

Cities cut libraries with reduced budgets. Will libraries survive? I hope so.