Not content with mining the rich seam of history the world has to offer, one wonders if author Terry Deary is eagerly pushing for Libraries to become the topic of a future edition of Horrible Histories.
He said: “Libraries have had their day. They are a Victorian idea and we are in an electronic age. They either have to change and adapt or they have to go.
“I know some people like them but fewer and fewer people are using them and these are straightened times. A lot of the gush about libraries is sentimentality.
“The book is old technology and we have to move on, so good luck to the council.”
The article does not say when last he visited a library as he seems to view them as buildings stuffed with books, rather than the multi-function services many have become.
Honestly, it sounds like he spoke without considering his argument fully. I mean hats off to him for not going with the rest of the crowd, but if you’re going to argue a point, at least make sure your argument isn’t full of holes first.
As for libraries not being modern, or just full of shelves? I’ve been a digital reader for 4 years, sinc ebefore the Kindle came to the UK in fact. My central library is ot Victorian, has kept up with the times, and has in those 4 years massively expanded its digital content, in addition to all the other things it does from that HUGE list you linked to. I reckon you could check off easily half those things being done if you paid a visit to a busy library and just people-watched for an hour or so.
And as for books being old technology? Has he seen some of the things publishers are coming up with?! Some of them are astonishing feats of engineering – if you’ll forgive the link, this book http://bit.ly/UzealY would not work on a Kindle! Old technology? I think he needs to rethink his argument and plug the holes a little or at least expand his argument before it’ll be worth paying attention to.
Annnnd off the soapbox – sorry Teen Librarian. Got carried away.