Wednesday October 14th

Readers,
The Daily Routine is back. Due to a rigorous work schedule, four midterms, a weekend in San Francisco, and a weekend of non-H1N1 flu, I have had regrettably little free time for penning my usual loquacious and eloquent posts. And while I do have one midterm remaining (Time and Time Travel), I felt that it was my duty as a responsible procrastinator to bring you an update. I have been meaning to write on this topic for a while, because it is one that deeply upsets me. So without further ado, here is our Daily Topic: THE LIBRARY WITHOUT BOOKS



I have been dreading for a long while the advent of the paperless age. This past summer I first saw the Kindle, the electronic book, in person and something inside of me died. I watched in horror as the press of a button turned a page and new words flickered across the screen.

To me, this is blasphemous. I can't imagine reading a novel off of a screen. I can't imagine not turning paper pages or being able to fold down corners of pages with quotes I wish to remember. Is paper doomed to be rendered obsolete? Is this our future?



Cushing Academy certainly thinks so. This year, the Massachusetts prep school discarded some 20,000 volumes and announced that their library was becoming digital. In addition to purchasing several Kindles, the school is encouraging their students to pursue research and reading online.

When I heard this news, I was thunderstruck. What possible motivation could Cushing have for such a stunt? Could their students be suffering a disproportionate amount of paper cuts? Could their library be so structurally unsound that it couldn't handle the weight of all those volumes? Could they be that desperate for applicants that they needed such publicity?

The sad truth is that Cushing's administration truly believes that the future is digital. As their hollow shell of library is converted into a tech-friendly study center, Cushing bids good-bye to history. But what does the future hold?

While many library books may be outdated, almost all of them contain information or concepts that can be useful to students conducting research. And it's free. While the internet holds incalculable amounts of information, many scholarly articles and sources have limited access or require payment. Many high schools do provide students with access to databases to read such archived articles, but content from published books is difficult to find for free on the internet. By completely eliminating books, Cushing is severely limiting opportunities for its students to conduct research and learning.

While many signs point to a decline in paper newspapers and books, I can only hope that this case is not an indication of things to come. Fortunately, I do not think that most schools are delusional as Cushing. There is value in books and there is an element of mystique and charm that comes with the turning of a paper page. It is something that has survived since ancient times and it would be a shame to lose.
-ROF

Daily Food: PB&J

Daily Activity: Studying, in a Library Filled With Books

Daily Song: Ghosts n' Stuff - Deadmau5

Daily Attire: Rain Gear

Daily News Everyone Should Care About: Dow Ends Above 10,000, First Time in Over a Year

Daily News No One Should Care About: Teen Facing Felony Rap for Throwing "Deadly Missile"...Burrito

Daily Life Goal: Never EVER Own a Kindle

Daily Complaint: Demise of Paper

Daily Drink: Gatorade

Daily Television: Modern Family

Daily Movie: Charlie Wilson's War