This neighborhood branch library has been updated. It opens onto the street not the back of the parking lot now. It has a charming little outdoor walled nook to read on days it's not too hot - a wonderful touch. The update devotes roughly 2/3 of the space to Internet access or social gathering spots - one each for children, teens, and a space that can be used for meetings or watching film or presentations in a group.
Book/dvd stacks are a small fraction of the space now - you can access the system-wide inventory digitally and request an item be sent to this branch.
The place was packed at 3PM on a recent Wednesday with all sorts of ages and ethnicities.
Thinking about the changes as compared to the libraries I grew up with, I was reminded of the American Public Library system's founder, Andrew Carnegie, and why he gave his Bill Gates-sized fortune to create the library system - to allow those who are don't have the resources a place to learn for free so they can move up the social ladder - just as he did - although he had to pay for it as a desperately poor ghetto child in the for-profit libraries of his time.
I'm glad that basic principle remains in place, even though the physical books have become largely irrelevant.