Prompt: Libraries are irrelevant in the age of the internet and should not be publicly funded. Do you agree or disagree?

It is a fact that the internet is in an outstanding position as it used globally in this era of advanced technology. This has caused many people to think that funding the public libraries is inappropriate. In my opinion, I firmly disagree with the aspect to stop financing the public libraries because they are convenient and socially important for every community. Ċ First and foremost, libraries offer ease and comfort to the community. Although the internet has provided wide access to online materials from the comfort zone of home, some people still prefer to use libraries because they are technophobes and do not have good command to operate electronics equipment. In Viet Nam, for example, the majority of senior citizens prioritize libraries because, for them, it is uncomfortable to concentrate over mobile phones for longer hours and they could not operate advanced features of their mobile phones. Therefore, it seems to me that libraries should remain in existence and properly financed. Ċ Communication is another advantage that public libraries provide. These days the ubiquity of online platforms, particularly, social networking sites is prone to take people’s precious time, which may eventually lead to isolation from the society. Thus, public libraries would serve as a provision of gathering place for everyone in person. In other words, if citizens interact with each other who have the same interests, they will have a sense of community. Furthermore, it is likely that the youth can improve their social skills which will definitely help them this virtue to apply for a job by attending to the libraries instead of spending their whole time on the online platform. Ċ In conclusion, although there are some people who are of the opinion that libraries are not needed, I believe that libraries are an essential asset to provide resources which are trustworthy and to make people more sociable. Moreover, it is easier for some people to use libraries rather than innovative technology.