The main purpose of public libraries is to provide books, and they should not waste their limited resources and space on providing expensive hi-tech media such as computer software, videos and DVDs. with this statement?

The importance of public libraries is undeniable. While some people argue that libraries should be more focused on stocking printed books and materials than investing in digital resources, in this essay, I would argue why availability of digital media is crucial in libraries used by general public. First of all, the last few decades have seen dramatic growth in the use of digital media such as electronic books, learning software and other audio-visual learning and reading materials. This is because these resources are not only easy to carry but also convenient to use in many innovative ways. For example, there are many free websites on the Internet which provide free video lectures for better understanding of a topic. If there are only hard bound books in the stacks and they do not provide these resources, they will become unattractive to general public. As a result, the significance of libraries itself may become questionable. More importantly, modern generation is time poor and they want to access everything quickly including knowledge, which printed books may not always be capable of providing. This is because the growing competition and advanced life style demand more skills and knowledge in a very short time. For instance, youngster might prefer to listen to the summary of a book converted to the form of a video rather than reading full text. Moreover, important part of digital resources may be emailed to personal devices with the permission of the library, and the same may be accessed later anywhere. To conclude, although printed books will never lose their importance, the young generation is moving towards digital information and learning. In my opinion, I would prefer to access digital and attractive video content in a public library instead of going through lengthy printed text.