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Yes, this practice hurt small publishers especially. People take books and read them like they're in a library -- and sometimes they spill coffee and crumbs all over the books. The bookstore then sends the "used," unsellable books back to the small publisher. Not good.
Eventually we'll all be using Kindles (or something Kindle-like) for all our reading purposes. Nobody will need libraries or bookstores. Sad.
No need for libraries or bookstores will mean less trees being harvested to print books, reduced power consumption by libraries/big box stores, fewer trips to the bookstore and/or library for books (less gas being burned), all good things. The bad news is that librarians and book store owners/workers will be out of work, but I'm sure they will find something else to do. This advancement in technology does not sadden me at all, the resistance to it does though.
No need for libraries or bookstores will mean less trees being harvested to print books, reduced power consumption by libraries/big box stores, fewer trips to the bookstore and/or library for books (less gas being burned), all good things. The bad news is that librarians and book store owners/workers will be out of work, but I'm sure they will find something else to do. This advancement in technology does not sadden me at all, the resistance to it does though.
You have a VAST underestimation of what librarians truly do if you think their work will go away even if there were no books at all. Librarians have Masters degrees and the bulk of their coursework these days (except in specialty areas such as Children's services, etc) is in databases, information retrieval, knowledge management, etc. And don't think searching Google is a substitute for having a trained person who kows where the best info is and how to use and interpret it.
Believe me, most librarians are FAR from "resistant" to new technology; more than likely, they are on the cutting edge of it. The image of the old woman in a bun saying "Shhh!" is so tremendously outdated.
You have a VAST underestimation of what librarians truly do if you think their work will go away even if there were no books at all. Librarians have Masters degrees and the bulk of their coursework these days (except in specialty areas such as Children's services, etc) is in databases, information retrieval, knowledge management, etc. And don't think searching Google is a substitute for having a trained person who kows where the best info is and how to use and interpret it.
Believe me, most librarians are FAR from "resistant" to new technology; more than likely, they are on the cutting edge of it. The image of the old woman in a bun saying "Shhh!" is so tremendously outdated.
I don't underestimate what librarians do, but in 10-20 years will there still be a need for large, traditional library with paper books? I hope not and I don't think there will be. Traditional libraries are so inefficient even when compared to our current technologies. I welcome the change!
I don't underestimate what librarians do, but in 10-20 years will there still be a need for large, traditional library with paper books? I hope not and I don't think there will be. Traditional libraries are so inefficient even when compared to our current technologies. I welcome the change!
Mike
It will probably remain much the same as it already is to a lot of folks: a large public building with computers and internet access.
We may be seeing the death of literacy rather than an advance in technology. The typical American nincompoop hasn't read a book since graduating (if indeed) from high school.
Closing sales will start Saturday for the 200 Borders stores, including four in the Raleigh-Durham area, that are closing as part of Borders Group Inc.’s reorganization plan, the company said in a news release.
Borders, based in Ann Arbor, Mich., filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection Wednesday and announced it would close 30 percent of its Borders and Waldenbooks locations, including four of its six in the Raleigh-Durham area – a decision that will hit the Triangle's retail market.
The company will offer discounts of 20 percent to 40 percent off of most merchandise during the closing sales, it said.
To me Borders has always seemed to be the worst of the major book chains. It was mor exepnsive than Book-a-Million, but not as "classy" or "inviting" or just have the overall feeling of prestige as Barnes Noble IMO, and it's online presence can't compete w/ Amazon. Not saying it was a bad retailer, when I lived in Fredricksburg, VA it was the local chain and I frequented it often. I just think it's middling. It's lacks any single thing to make it stand out amongst the competition.
You have a VAST underestimation of what librarians truly do if you think their work will go away even if there were no books at all. Librarians have Masters degrees and the bulk of their coursework these days (except in specialty areas such as Children's services, etc) is in databases, information retrieval, knowledge management, etc. And don't think searching Google is a substitute for having a trained person who kows where the best info is and how to use and interpret it.
Believe me, most librarians are FAR from "resistant" to new technology; more than likely, they are on the cutting edge of it. The image of the old woman in a bun saying "Shhh!" is so tremendously outdated.
What you have stated about librarians is true. However, Jeopardy has just proven that even the smartest is no match for Watson.
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