I'm scratching my head over the OPs entire premise. My public library is absolutely NOT suffering. Its not dying out. Librarians are not turning into webmasters. It is adapting and thriving. It can't be the only one.
Overdrive, 3M added 8/2013.
Hoopla added 1/2014.
Let the statistics speak for themselves. From the
website:
Multnomah County residents use their library. In 2012-2013, they checked out or renewed an average of 29.4 items per person. Among U.S. libraries serving fewer than 1 million residents, Multnomah County Library ranks No. 1 in annual circulation of books and other materials, according to the Public Library Association's 2014 Statistical Report (which reflects data from 2013).
In 2013-2014:
Checkouts of books, e-books, DVDs and other library materials have increased 30 percent over the past 10 years.
* Multnomah County Library patrons checked out or renewed nearly 19.5 million items.
* Library staff filled 2.4 million holds.
* Library staff answered more than 500,000 reference questions.
* The library was visited online and in person nearly 11 million times — that's more than 30,000 times each day.
* More than 100,000 children participated in the library's countywide 2013 Summer Reading program.
* In total, library programming targeted to all age groups, from infants to elders, reached more than 300,000.
* Volunteers donated more than 66,000 hours of their time to the library, the equivalent of 8,200 eight-hour days.