As online learning becomes more common and more and more resources are converted
to digital form, some people have suggested that public libraries should be shut down
and, in their place, everyone should be given an iPad with an e-reader subscription.Similarly, a Pew survey conducted in 2015 found that
nearly two-thirds of American adults feel that closing their local library would have a
major impact on their community.People who use tablets and mobile devices excessively also
have a higher incidence of more serious health issues such as fibromyalgia, shoulder
and back pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, and muscle strain.One neighbourhood found that, after a local library instituted
community events such as play times for toddlers and parents, job fairs for teenagers,
and meeting spaces for senior citizens, over a third of residents reported feeling more
connected to their community.Proponents of this idea state that it will save local cities and towns money because
libraries are expensive to maintain.