After a piece in the New York Times about a school library trading in its books for a “digital center,” they gathered up some of the responses from students. Some were (for me anyway) quite heartening. I was happy to see that students have thought about the usability of digital textbooks, the difference between reading online and in print, and the different and nuanced purposes that libraries do and might serve. On one of my more critical days I might say they have thought about it more than many librarians.
The library is a place. A learning place. The Kindle, Nook, or iPad won’t change the library as long as things are learned.