With technology moving rapidly, will computers replace library books?

When we think of a library, we imagine books. I’m fairly sure that nobody thinks of shelves of computers instead of books. But what if libraries filled with computers that replace traditional books. What would happen if libraries became filled with shelves of laptops, Macs, computers, and desktops? 

On the one hand, gadgets can cause eye strain, headaches, and other illnesses, which can be avoided by reading books. In areas with little or no internet access, power sources, or electricity, computers cannot replace books- computers need electricity and internet access to function. In 2011, Purdue University announced a “Library of the Future”- a library with no physical books. This provoked a backlash from readers and librarians. In 2010, the University of Texas at San Antonio converted its books to their electronic form, dedicating the space to computers and offices. This received multiple protests as well.  Reading on computers can also mean pop-up ads, notifications, or links that distract the reader. While many Indian higher education institutions, such as Jawaharlal Nehru University, have increased the number of their e-books, they have made the wise decision to maintain physical copies as well.  Therefore, books are extremely useful and cannot be replaced.

On the other hand, it can be a challenge to maintain books in good condition after multiple readers have torn pages or ripped covers. This cannot happen with devices or gadgets. Replacing books with computers reduces the need for paper, ink and deforestation. Computers are much more environmentally friendly. A survey conducted by Loughborough University Library (UK) showed that while 69% of the students visited the physical library, 81% of them visited the online resources, showing the popularity of digital resources. Books cannot be updated every now and then, but computers can. Computers can provide more reliable and up-to-date information. So, sometimes, its important to keep up with technology, and computers can come in very handy.

Thus, while it's important to move on with technology, books are a tradition, and even if computers are introduced in libraries, they should be kept alongside books, not in place of books.