Books are becoming nonexistent

Shayla Stevens

Books are becoming nonexistent

            Due to the rapid technology inventions everyone is going from books to computers. We are able to access information much faster and from our own homes by using computers or even traveling while being on computers. After the type writer was invented people wanted faster more accurate ways of communicating. When the Internet was invented it allowed people to send something and get a reply. The ability to exchange information amazed people. “The interactivity of the medium has also turned it into the world’s meetinghouse” (Carr 85).

            Due to the high Internet use, magazine, book, and newspaper sales are dropping. It is much easier to read an article online, it is more convenient, and usually free. Personally, I like to read from an actual book. I find I can get into it easier and I do not get as distracted. When I am reading an article off the Internet I get distracted by all the ads and pop ups, and am tempted to go on to a different website. I also never seem to read the entire text when I am reading online; I look for bolded or highlighted words or a summary. I do not like how you cannot physically turn a page you are just scrolling down.

            “Our four major categories of personal media, print is now the least used” (Carr 87) The rates of the United States that was actually reading from print is dropping significantly. Although we have been reading far more since the Internet, texting, and phones were invented just far less on print. This is having a tremendous effect on our thinking abilities.

            These great changes are even illustrated in public libraries. “The library is, in fact, one of the most important and influential informational media ever created” (Carr 97). The library was always still, silent, just the background noise of pages turning. In today’s world when you walk into a library the majority of the sound you are hearing is typing. According to the American Library Association ninety-nine percent of public libraries provide Internet access. This is indeed a great help. It allows us to search information faster, and allows quicker access to a large amount of information all at once.

            A good example of libraries changing would be our own library at UMass Lowell, O’Leary. On each floor there are back just on the perimeter of the library while there are large spaces in the middle of the rooms for computers and couches. I have noticed in most libraries a majority of the people are not even using the computers for actual research. I see tabs open with youtube, Facebook, and Twitter.

            Therefore, the transformation from books to the Internet is not as great of a help as people may think it is. It is distracting, changing the way we think, and we are unable to stay focused for large amounts of time. The Internet is just good for fast information and large quantity not necessarily good quality.