Contrary to what many people might believe, there was actually a time in recent history before computers.  And, in fact, there was a time where computers were around and not everyone was so utterly dependent on them for everything.  It’s hard to imagine that today in a world where even typewriters have become obsolete, but it was the way the world used to be. 

            The advent of the personal computer is probably the worst thing to have ever happened to research.  If you have children or are around them for any reasonable length of time, you’ve probably heard them complain about a certain teacher giving them a research paper to do.  Now they have to write out 5, 7, or even 10 pages, but the teacher also insisted that they use at least 3 sources other than the internet.  That means they have to go to the library and actually look things up in books. 

            Teachers insist upon this so that their students actually know how to look up something up other than typing in the subject into a web search engine and pulling up web pages.  Libraries are still around and they’re still a valuable resource.  What if something happened to your computer?  What would you do? 

            No one considers that the articles that people pull up on the internet got their information either from other articles on the internet or directly from books themselves.  In most cases, it’s best going to the most direct source of information.  Since the average person isn’t digging up fossils or exploring the ruins of ancient cities or opening up Egyptian pyramids, books are their most direct source. 

            These days, more and more books are being put onto the internet of course, but who ever says that people don’t still read is dead wrong.  No one can read page after page after page off a computer screen like they can off a book.  And people still read novels and other kinds of books for fun.  Whenever you ride the train or bus, you see people sticking their noses into books.  There are still bestseller lists for books in the major newspapers.  Major bookstore chains like Borders and Barnes and Noble are still open and doing good business. 

            Basically, people are still reading and they read more than anyone really seems to think.  In fact, when using the internet, you are actually reading too.  It’s just more difficult reading which is why the best writing for the internet is concise, to the point, and short, not to mention spaced out. 

            While computers might be valuable in preserving the contents of old books, they’ll never completely replace the function of books in our society.  The internet might be its own entity now that no one can fully control or regulate, but the articles you look up on it aren’t always correct.  And, in many cases, there’s no way you can check on whether its right or wrong.  A well-researched book will at least cite its sources at the end.