Some people say that public libraries should be free, otherwise they are just a waste of money, especially because modern technologies and the internet allow easy access to resources. Discuss and give your point of view. - Ielts Essay

Some people say that public libraries should be free, otherwise they are just a waste of money, especially because modern technologies and the internet allow easy access to resources. Discuss and give your point of view.

Library or IT

The advent of information technology has brought about drastic changes in the way people store information. This phenomenon has penetrated all walks of life, and some people have started suggesting that there is no need to maintain expensive libraries, though some feel that libraries cannot be superseded.

The modern technology has made life quite easy, enabling shrinking loads of information into very compact data. Now, even the gigantic databases including books, chronicles and other important works concerning history, research into various fields, etc., can be saved anywhere quickly. Similarly,  the saved information can be retrieved and accessed from anywhere: even right from the comfort of the homes and offices. An unimpeded saving and accessing facility has made electronic mode of storing and retrieving information almost indispensible, so there is hardly anyh rationale behing maintaining these cumbersome resources and charging visitors.

Moreover, compact databases on standalone machines or servers connected to cloud services do not require sprawling premises. Besides this, the information just needs simple backups to ensure loss of data due to certain accidents. Many find this mode of accessing books and other important material quite inexpensive when compared to multitude of funds required to maintain books and library premises.

However, the importance of libraries cannot be ignored at all, as these though this conventional but excellent way of saving information is deemed critical when it comes to storing original work; manuscripts; centuries old documents and other important research papers, etc., as originality is sometimes deemed more vital than just saving information. Nevertheless, they need money to sustain their collection; maintain their premises; and pay for the staff and expansion of their facilities. It is worth noting that government grants are rarely are sparse; therefore, these institutions must charge.   

To conclude, I feel that libraries are part of heritage of any culture and replacing them is almost impossible, and they need to charge levy. Thus. they should be maintained and not offered for free.