Here's a story for you. I live in Fargo ND., and have for the past 8 years. They just recently built a new main library with two attendant sub-libraries in the suburbs 3 years ago. For the first year their computers and Wi-Fi connections were busy all the time, but now there are hardly any library computers busy. The service is the same, but there are a lot fewer users. Where did everyone go? The only change has been the mass marketing of 'smart phones' and 'tablets'. People don't need full size computers any longer, or they don't need them like they did before.
Sure, some people will always need full size computers, but numerically compared to what else? I'm not an IT person, so I cannot claim any confidential expertise - but eSword software isn't going to be useful to someone who doesn't have a computer, eh? The computer rooms of these new libraries are mostly empty a good deal of the time now - completely different from the previous years. The old library which they tore down always had a waiting list for one of the 30 computers, morning to night. Not any longer.
Just using your example: I worked in the computer labs when I was in college. Computer labs were in demand--many could not afford a computer. Now days, you can buy a desktop or even a laptop from Walmart for $299-$399. So that's where all your college computer lab users have gone. Why user a computer with dozens or hundreds of strangers, when you can use your own? And unlike years ago, most of their parents now have computers for them to use as well.
Josh
