ALA: Libraries are at the "virtual endpoint"

America's public libraries have struggled in recent years to stay afloat. A majority of states have reported library closures in the past 12 months, according to the American Library Association. While most of those states estimated that one or two branches shut down, some reported five to 10 closing their doors, which ALA says is part of a trend.

According to a recent ALA report on the future of libraries (PDF) it is vital that libraries adapt to the shift in how patrons seek resources.

"The purely physical library is no longer strategically realistic," the report reads, adding that while most public libraries are maintaining their physical branches, they are increasingly being drawn toward the "virtual endpoint."