In an article written for Forbes Magazine, contributor Panos Mourdoukoutas suggested that libraries are no longer useful and should be replaced by Amazon Stores.
People took issue with Mourdoukoutas' assessment immediately, pointing out that perhaps the writer hasn't spent much time struggling financially and therefore makes assumptions that don't ring true for everyday working-class people. Assumptions such as:
Of course, there's Amazon Books to consider. Amazon have created their own online library that has made it easy for the masses to access both physical and digital copies of books. Amazon Books is a chain of bookstores that does what Amazon originally intended to do; replace the local bookstore. It improves on the bookstore model by adding online searches and coffee shops. Amazon Go basically combines a library with a Starbucks.
If one should purchase an Amazon Kindle from $80 - $250, buy bestsellers at $5.99-15.99 a pop, step into Starbucks and order their favorite beverage around $6.00, then sure, one could say the library is practically the exact same thing, save $500-$1000 a year.
Many people weren't having it.
This librarian had lots of words on the topic.
It seems there may have been an underlying motive for Mourdoukoutas' feelings about the library.
This just seemed to upset people more.
People love the library as a vital contributor to our society. It's best to not mess with it.
H/T: Twitter Moment, Forbes
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