A Critical Analysis: Why Libraries Remain Essential in Modern Society

This argumentative essay addresses the question of whether libraries are still needed in the modern world. It presents a detailed discussion, acknowledging the rise of the internet and digital information access while arguing for the continued importance of libraries. The essay highlights the value of libraries as safe and reliable sources of information, contrasting them with the potential for misinformation online. It emphasizes the role of librarians in providing expert guidance and curating accurate resources. Furthermore, the essay underscores the social and community aspects of libraries, offering a space for interaction and access to a diverse range of resources, including books, journals, and digital materials. The essay concludes that libraries remain indispensable institutions, complementing the digital world and serving vital roles in society.

Running head: DO WE STILL NEED LIBRARIES?
Do We Still need Libraries?
Name of the Student:
Name of the University:
Author Note:

1DO WE STILL NEED LIBRARIES?
Introduction
Libraries are the institutions which contain a lot of books and journals, and have a
collection of innumerable sources of information. However, with the age of internet and
modernization, technology has questioned the existence of the libraries in the societies. There
have been a potential and a huge debate over the necessity of libraries. Some people think that
libraries are no longer needed, whereas there are several people who still thik that the libraries
should exist. The following argumentative essay deals with the thesis statement that the libraries
are needed and are important for the society. It also provides the arguments for the libraries,
giving an explanation for the same.
Discussion
It has been often argued by the critics and the common people that internet medium and
the technology in today’s times bring the entire world together and people can gain knowledge
regarding various topics and subjects by just a mere click (Gillilan, 2017). There are also
common shared interests platforms such as the blog posts and the online support groups where
people can find their required information. Moreover they can enjoy the websites, and it is quite
easy for them to access the informative platforms.
`However, it has been argued by Dold & Jayousi (2018), that internet websites are not safe
platforms for sharing or gathering information. There have are several cases of trolling and cyber
bullying which make the libraries to exist the necessity for the libraries increase since people can
gather in these institutions and they can engage themselves in constructive gathering of
knowledge. Moreover, the content of the libraries and the books are much stable than the link

2DO WE STILL NEED LIBRARIES?
and the web pages of the internet and the social technology. Libraries and the books have a
strange history and they try their level best to preserve the same. They respect the history , with
the acid free pages and the printed materials allure the people more than the web pages on the
cell phones and laptops. On the other hand, it been also argued by Anghelescu (2018), that that
the digitalization of the libraries give the books and the primary sources better stability. The
digital versions of the libraries can help to preserve the important artifacts which are probe to
damage by repeated usage. Tait, Martzoukou & Reid (2016) also agrees to this, and says that the
internet platform does not undermine the libraries, but it instead enables and helps in the progress
of these institutions since it acts as a better source of information. The information which can be
eroded and lost, can be archived through the use of digital libraries.
However, Dold & Jayousi (2018) argues that libraries are still a necessity in the society.
It has the active involvement of the librarians who help to sort the real news and distinguish them
from the fake ones. Online platforms and the internet have innumerable sources of information
and it is difficult for a person to distinguish the fake news from the actual ones. This often leads
to the spreading of the misinformation. Scheppke (2014) in this case also agrees that the
librarians and the libraries help to provide the accurate information to the people and there is
lesser chance of the wrong information to be public. The librarians are the people who are expert
in the information literacy. Moreover, if there are no libraries, the librarians would have no job
and their talent and knowledge would be wasted. In accordance to this, Mikowski (2014)
discusses that the librarians in the libraries are the persons who can guide the students and the
elderly people to what they actually need. A conversation with the librarian can help the people
to find what they are looking for since the librarians come with experiences. Tait, Martzoukou &
Reid (2016) argues in this case that the online platforms provide several search engines such as

3DO WE STILL NEED LIBRARIES?
Google, Bing and it is easier for the people to search their required topics. Finding what people
need is jus a click away. But Alexander & Sullenger (2014) contradicts his statements and says
that even people have the option of searching whatever they can through the internet, the
searchers are not always generic. Moreover, the information often are available at the cost of
advertisements which can distract a person’s conversation. This is not possible in the libraries,
since libraries ask to keep silence and the people can study whichever book they want to, with
proper guidance.
The elderly people are the people who often have problem handling the online platforms.
Being technologically challenged in this modern generation and in this age of globalization, they
would be devoid of the knowledge and the information. This is another reason why the libraries
are essential and are still needed (Fernandez- Molina, Moraes & Guimaraes, 2017). Also it has
been discussed that the libraries allow a social gathering which is very essential in today’s world.
The use of the internet and the technology are making people socially and culturally impaired.
This is distancing people from the others. Libraries thus act as a place of social and human
interaction. Along with this, Limwichitr (2019) says that the libraries have a huge collection of
books, ranging from children literature to fantasy themed books, mystery and gothic genre items
and also books of theories and business and economics. They also allow the readers to know
more, and they can even suggest the librarian to bring new books.
Moreover according to Herring (2014), the libraries assure the people, of their privacy.
Reading the books involve a privacy which means that the people can bring out any book that
they like from the shelves and give them a read. Moreover, internet requires downloading the
books and reading them if they are not available online. This implies that this is cost effective
since it involves having n internet connection. On the other hand, Scheppke (2014) discusses

4DO WE STILL NEED LIBRARIES?
that renting and lending books in t8eh library is free and many of the libraries have free
membership to the students and the public. Education for free is a great thing which should also
be encouraged. The modern generation is forgetting to turn the pages of the books and doing a
research since everyone has a cell phone and they can easily access things. This not only affects
their eyes but also distracts them. Moreover, Alexander & Sullenger (2014) states that the
libraries help to inflict values among the students and the other people who love to read because
it relies on a trust system. Books that are borrowed should be returned within a certain period of
time. This also keeps the habit of reading active since there would be a competition between the
readers, to complete one single book within a particular time.
Conclusion
Thus from the above discussion it can be concluded that the internet though is a very
indispensible part of the people’s lives, but it can never replace the libraries nor can replace the
need of them. The libraries are the social institutions, which provide knowledge and information
to the public and it gives the people the validity of the sources. Although it is not as easily
accessible as the online sources of information, or the digital libraries, it has a lot of other
positives which can never be ignored. It is a boon to the society and even though the study has
been possible and easier through the use of technology, the contribution of books can never be
ignored what so ever.

5DO WE STILL NEED LIBRARIES?
Reference List:
Alexander, B., & Sullenger, P. (2014). Libraries, mobile devices, and the visible college. The
Serials Librarian, 66(1-4), 31-43.
Anghelescu, H. (2018). Libraries and librarians in a changing world: threats and opportunities.
In MISISQ: Implicare. Creativitate. Durabilitate (pp. 17-24).
Dold, C. J., & Jayousi, R. (2018). When so Much Information is Available for Free on the
Internet, Does the World Still Need Libraries?.
Fernández-Molina, J. C., Moraes, J. B. E., & Guimarães, J. A. C. (2017). Academic libraries and
copyright: do librarians really have the required knowledge?. College & Research
Libraries, 78(2).
Gillilan, H. H. (2017). Same mission, different public: the relationship between libraries & their
communities.
Herring, M. Y. (2014). Are Libraries Obsolete?: An Argument for Relevance in the Digital Age.
McFarland.
Limwichitr, S. (2019, June). From Knowledge to Innovation: Transformation of Thai Academic
Libraries in Times of Digital Disruption. In Proceedings of the 2019 2nd International
Conference on Data Storage and Data Engineering (pp. 15-21).
Mikowski, L. (2014). Are Libraries Still Uncool to Teens?. OLA Quarterly, 9(3), 16-17.
Scheppke, J. (2014). Community Builds Libraries. OLA Quarterly, 13(2), 4-6.

6DO WE STILL NEED LIBRARIES?
Tait, E., Martzoukou, K., & Reid, P. (2016). Libraries for the future: the role of IT utilities in the
transformation of academic libraries. Palgrave Communications, 2(1), 1-9.