I love libraries, I grew up always having the maximum books on load.
But they seem to be making themselves increasingly irrelevant when it comes to eBooks.
(This discussion is from the point of view of someone outside the US, where Kindles cannot access OverDrive.)
From the beginning, the process to get a borrowed eBook onto an eInk device has been too complex for the non-computer literate reading, messing around with ADE.
It was a major step forwards when Kobo added OverDrive integration directly to the device. Suddenly an eInk reader could be something I would recommend to a non-computer savvy person who wanted to read library books.
But that was short-lived, as OverDrive seems to be dying, or at least massively shrinking.
Of the two libraries I have access to, one uses cloudLibrary, the other is switching to BorrowBox. Neither is accessible from a device, both are back to ADE.
Then there are other platforms like Hoopla, which aren't accessible on a dedicated reader at all.
It just isn't worth it. I ended up getting my in-laws a Kindle instead, even though it has no chance of ever getting access to library books, because they are never going to jump through the hoops required to transfer books from the library to a computer to the device, so they really aren't losing anything. If both the local public library systems supported OverDrive, I would have bought them a Kobo.
Library usage in England breaks down as roughly 1/3 less than 45, 1/3 45 to 65, 1/3rd 65+.[1] Those are not demographics that line up with requiring more computer access and savvy to be able to read eBooks. 40% of households with at least one 65+ adult have not used the internet in the last 3 months.[2]
This fragmentation is driving away people who are one of the largest segments of physical library usage.
1:
https://www.statista.com/statistics/...rs-in-england/
2:
https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulat...dividuals/2018