Libraries still have a purpose although they will be hit hard by budget cuts in the U.S. There are still some things that aren't replaced by eBooks:
Many books are still within copyright protected status, yet old enough not to be worth re-issuing in eBook format due to lagging sales. A lot of my sci-fi favorites fit in this category (David Eddings series for example), and the probability of their being available in eFormat is slim as the author is deceased and it is a niche or cult genre.
Libraries are staffed by librarians.
These people are trained to help readers find appropriate literature and reference material. Not all reference material is available online, especially historical reference material.
Genealogy is a big interest for many of us aging baby-boomers and libraries often have sections set aside for doing this type of research which can be expensive online.
Free services and book loans are important to help lower income persons and students acquire reading material at no personal expense. Not everyone can afford a computer and the monthly fees to keep it online.
Libraries provide a rack with hundreds of current magazine and newspaper issues. There are few online substitutes for this availability.
But libraries are in deep trouble. Funding cuts are laying off staff and reducing purchases. eBook interest is beginning to take traffic out of the library, and fuel costs are keeping people home more often. Things are changing, and not all for the better for those of modest means.
