The main purpose of public libraries is to provide books. Therefore, they should not waste their limited resources and space on providing expensive hi-tech media.

There is a perception that providing books is the main purpose of public libraries. Hi-tech media should not be provided in order to save the limited resources in public libraries. While a counterargument is that providing hi-tech media has numerous benefits and it will become a new trend in the development of public libraries. It is quite understandable that people from different background hold different interpretation on the same issue. This essay will compare and contrast its benefits and downsides.

Clearly, providing hi-tech media for public libraries may bring some benefits. With the development of technology, people receive information not only from books but also from other new media such as videos. That is to say, reading books is not an only approach for people to get information. So public libraries are not necessary to consist to use one method and refuse to receive other better methods. More important, hi-tech media can help us receive information more efficiently and conveniently. Researches have proved people more easily understand information by watching vision than reading literature. In addition, hi-tech media such as DVDs can store information much longer than books and can save the most valuable resource --- space.

Even so, I admit that providing hi-tech media for public libraries also have certain downsides. It may be true that they will spend more money. And a reason why some people choose to go to public libraries is they can enjoy reading in these places. But I think the most people who go to public libraries have a purpose to get information.

On balance, I still believe that the benefits of providing hi-tech are far overt that its downsides. Overall, I convinced that it is in the best interests of public libraries if they provide hi-tech media.