Hidden Gem In Plain Sight.

I stumbled on a video some days ago where a man spoke about setting up a private library with the money people donated for him after he shared his life story during a street interview, and I was like, what’s he thinking?

I would have applauded him if it was decades ago- not in this digital age. That’s definitely not the best investment at the moment, especially in some parts of the world. I went to the comment section to see people’s thoughts about his business idea, and a lot of them believe it’s a wrong move.

Before now, owning a library where people could come to read was a lucrative business. I know of one where people got a membership card that required renewing depending on the duration they subscribed for. A lot of people visited libraries, whether public or private, to read and acquire knowledge, but everything changed when the internet became available to everyone.

Now, a large percentage of the world no longer sees the need to visit a library, and it’s understandable because there’s nothing you can’t find online—especially with the increasing development of artificial intelligence that’s capable of digging out information you can’t easily come by in books.

In response to the Hive Learner’s prompt, I’d say libraries should still be relevant in this digital age, and I have my reasons because despite the hype about reading easily online, there are people who still prefer reading from books in the library. I know a few people like that, and they choose reading offline because that’s what works best for them.

Let’s look at it from the angle of those distractions that come with reading on smartphones or PCs. You can choose to put your phone on silent, but how about those notifications or ads that pop up on websites? While some people can handle those distractions, there are those who can’t, so the best option for them is traditional reading—which doesn’t necessarily have to be done in the library.

They can read at home from books and not necessarily from the library, but the point is, they prefer reading offline.

Another thing to consider is kids’ attitudes toward studying on smartphones. I’ve always had it in mind that before my kids get to use the internet for studying, they must have grown to a certain age—enough to call them mature. I know a lot of parents must have thought about the same thing, and it’s impossible for us to always provide all the books they need, so the use of libraries becomes inevitable. Kids reading in the library helps them cultivate a healthy reading habit, and as they grow, it becomes part of them.

Plus, the fact that not everyone has the resources to access the internet is another important point. In a situation where a library is present around them, they can easily walk in to read. It simply means that the availability of libraries gives everyone who’s interested in acquiring knowledge the opportunity to do so.

I feel like having libraries across the world, as it used to be before now, is important for those who still prefer studying the old ways. But since the demand is low, the number of libraries can reduce to cut the cost of maintenance.

Unfortunately, their use keeps reducing, but there won’t be an end to it since libraries play more roles than just being a place where we study. I’ve stumbled on materials preserving history, heritage, and culture, so it’s not just about reading books.

_{All Images Are Mine.}