I also read the article “Scan This Book!” The book is disappearing.

We’re in trouble, folks.

however, after reading harrlynn’s comment, I also want to add that technically, libraries aren’t “free.” just ask voters about that when it’s referendum time. in my home town, voters decided six times that the library wasn’t “free” and wasn’t going to get any more “free.”

also, I haven’t seen *anyone* advocate for replacing books with video games. libraries have never been *just* about books; otherwise, we wouldn’t have reference desks. I think your “books AND…” approach sums it up pretty well. I’d love to see a new marketing approach based on that idea.

anybody who says differently or wants to buck the traditional library as a free book place perception is clearly a knucklehead who deserves my thickest knuckle sandwich. change the free book place perception and you will do irreparable damage to libraries and librarianship.

and the key marketing term there is free. nobody competes with free. if people don’t need free, well then, we just wait, we just be patient, because someday, in some way, for some thing or another, they will need and want it for free. of course, that’s not to say, in the mean time, we let our places go to hell. no, we maintain them, just as we would our own homes, depending on how hospitable we can afford and want to be.

books are old school and people will always dig them, even if they’re not using them as much as other materials. and that’s not to say that we don’t provide internet access and collect whatever else comes down the technological pike. but the collection must always be balanced in favor of books, because that’s our primary mission. our primary mission is not to replace our book collections with video games. andrew carnegie didn’t shell out millions for people to endlessly entertain themselves in front of a screen.

and yes, rachel, that “read” campaign is ridiculous. what kid ever picked up a book because he saw his favorite star on a poster statically staring up from a book they probably never read?

people read because they have to, or they love to, or some combination therein. the lovers usually adopt the reading habits of their parents or their peers. same as smoking or any other habit.