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Technology must be considered

Dear Editor:

Your article of Jan. 17, Library quarters cramped, indicates that the size of a library is determined by the number of residents of a defined area (14,310 people need 665 square metres.)

This suggests that there must be some formula to arrive at this figure and since the population data is based on 2006 figures, perhaps the formula is of that vintage as well.

Your attention is drawn to a couple of things that have happened since 2006.

Amazon, a leading book retailer, sold more e-books in the last quarter of 2010 than it did of traditional paper books and within the last month, I have borrowed two books from the library without ever setting foot in the place (transferred to my e-reader.)

Despite being a long time user of the library, one wonders if the new technology is factored into our future library needs, it may well be that the current space allotment is adequate.

Remember what happened to the majority of film cameras and railway stations.

Bob Smyth

Summerland