Should Libraries be Closed Down with the Emergence of Digital Learning?

Should Libraries be Closed
Name
Institutional Affiliation
Course
Instructor
Date
Should Libraries be Closed
Should Libraries be Closed Down with the Emergence of Digital Learning?
In recent times, online learning has been on the rise with the growth of digital technology. For instance, the period during the COVI-19 pandemic when learning institutions were closed down experienced massive migration of many schools from the physical classroom to the online space. Correspondingly, learning materials that were initially in physical form were transformed into digital forms. These changes have led to the idea that physical libraries should be closed down and replaced with online resources and repositories.
Proponents of this idea hold the view that such a move would be advantageous as it would help local cities and towns to save on money that could have otherwise been used to construct and maintain physical libraries. The proponents of the idea also argue that people will be encouraged to read as they will not have to travel to the physical libraries. In the foregoing, they will be able to read any material that is available in the library at the comfort of their homes or anywhere they choose as long as they have an internet connection and any device such as a phone, tablet, or computer from which they can read from.
In my view though, shutting down physical libraries would not be a prudent decision despite the proliferation of digital learning. To begin with, digital books and associated resources have been linked to lower levels of learning as well as more problems as compared to physical libraries. Jabr (2013) notes that laboratory experiments, as well as consumer reports, have indicated that screens or e-readers rob readers of the tactile experience they would have on physical books thus reducing their comprehension abilities. It follows that screens also tend to drain users’ men...