So this is the first notice of the closing of a public library that I have noted. Corpus Christi is a famous town in Texas. But it appears the town is finding it hard to balance their budget, so this idea to close down the library was thrown out. The mayor was quick to say that they're still discussing it.
In the modern world, there are both those who say that libraries are outmoded, and no longer useful; and those for whom the town library is a cultural nucleus, which cannot be sacrificed for any reason.
What does a library have? First of all a library has a great number of books. Some gifted, perhaps by the library founder, some given to it over the years, some bought by the Library, from the suggestions of library users. Some of these books circulate; that is, you can take them home and return them later.
Others are for reference only; usually bigger, more expensive books that library users cannot afford to actually own; such as encyclopedias, dictionaries, atlases, directories, indexes. Compilations of official information sent out by the government.
Then there are indexes: the catalog of all the library holdings, usually in the form of index cards.
Magazines, some of them in bound form, journals, and catalog entries for them.
There is archival data; that is rarely requested documents in tiny, tiny prints on transparency especially.
LPS, CDs, tapes, videos on videotape and DVD disc's.
Computers that link to other libraries all over the world, that often can find a book or other resource that isn't available at the library.
Last, but not least, there are the librarians, who care for the materials, inspect them for wear, help patrons find what they're seeking, receive books which have been sent for from other libraries, and see that whoever asked for them gets them; and send out any books the library has which have been requested from another library.
Ït will be clear that the library building contains lots of materials but also lots of people working. All these people must be paid; they're specialists, and ideally are paid at a rate higher than minimum wage.
Much of these resources can be obtained by anyone who has access to the internet. Bit it's also true that ordinary people often do not have the training to Find this information for themselves. But the fact remains that salaries are a major ongoing expense of any library.
Books, long regarded as the only material holding of a library, are potentially the most easily sacrificed resource. There's nothing to prevent the library acquiring new books in electronic form. (This will probably require extra staff, to help users get the books they want.) Borrowing books in digital form is more complicated, and vendors usually want a given e-book to be restricted, so that only a specified number of people can borrow a particular e-book at the same time.
What if the number of days the library is open is reduced to just Monday, Wednesday and Friday? Library workers could be told that they will be paid less, and they can save money that way. Librarians will hate that plan.
What if the library only lends books out for a fee? Libraries, in the past, charged penalties for everyone who were late with their returns.
Professional librarians hate the thought of charging fees at all. A librarian is only happy if all their books are out on loan!
Clearly, if a library is shut down, the town loses a great deal. People have nowhere to go, to find job listings. How do you repair your car? How do you sew an apron? How do you cook a meatloaf? The library was the place you went to, to find out. If the library were to be shut down, you'd have to go buy a book to find out.
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