Quote:
Originally Posted by Nahgem
Can those ereaders be checked out somehow so that people can take then and then drop them off later at, say, the ereader kiosk in Starbucks? Do those kiosks have a computer terminal with research technicians or librarians to assist them? Will they have print editions of books that haven't been digitized yet because doing so is of dubious legality, or because some people just don't like ebooks? What about periodicals, or ILL services to another kiosk/library in the next town over that has something the patron wants but can't access because they're from a different state/county, or they just don't have transportation?
eReader kiosks are a nifty idea, but they can't realistically replace library services yet.
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Good answer. It's good to have at least one central library where you can find just about anything. But a library like that usually costs million and millions of dollars to develop and build and by the time that's done things may have changed. The city may have expanded in directions away from the library. Rented space is a lot easier to drop when necessary. What about an online library where you can order a hardcover book and have it delivered to you through the mail? You might have to wait your turn.