Are Books Needed Anymore?

**ded i** · 07-31-2012, 03:21 PM

This discovery fills me with elation but I wonder if books are still relevant in this age. What do you think?

~> text below and here: http://www.scotsman.com/lifestyle/bo...oard-1-2438900

Rare books discovered in hidden cupboard

Published on Sunday 29 July 2012

A COLLECTION of rare books, including an illustrated copy of Paradise Lost, has been discovered in a hidden cupboard in a Scottish library.

The literary haul was found in Greenock’s Watt Library by archivist Neil Dickson.

The collection includes a 1538 edition of letters by Roman philosopher Cicero and an 1827 illustrated  edition of John Milton’s Paradise Lost – one of only 50 copies.

The books have now been put on display at the town’s McLean Museum.

Dickson, who discovered the cupboard behind an old plan chest while working his way through the archives, said: “I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw the cupboard, which obviously hadn’t been opened for 20, 30 years or longer.

“I was absolutely stunned when I realised what was inside. I have never seen such a collection of books in one place, and certainly not under these circumstances.

“I am sure the find will be of enormous interest.”

The collection also includes volumes from the 17th and 18th centuries on surgery, witchcraft and exploration and a 19th-century Hamnet edition of Shakespeare’s plays published in Greenock and edited by its then librarian, Allan Park Paton.

Inverclyde Council’s education convener Terry Loughran said: “This really is an incredible find, and one that will be talked about in literary circles up and down the country and beyond.”

**EOD13** · 07-31-2012, 03:26 PM

This is awesome

Nothing will ever be able to replace the feel of a paperback in hand!

But talk about collectors pieces

**AnthonyTheAbyss** · 07-31-2012, 03:34 PM

I like reading articles and news stories in digital format because they are quick and easy.

However, when it comes to reading a novel or a long story, nothing will replace a book. There's something not right about reading Lord Of The Rings on an IPad. It needs to be on paper. Even better if it was on Middle Earth Scroll written in the handwriting of a Hobbit

**waterdogs** · 07-31-2012, 05:18 PM

I`ve heard that libraries all over the place are discarding books by the dumpsterfull....this makes me sad, because someone, somewhere down the line will miss out on a great experience. As much as I appreciate the onward march of technology, I still heed the opinion of professional archivers, who seem to agree that they will not guarantee the longevity of ANY stored digital media beyond about 15 years....

**TacoMan5000** · 07-31-2012, 06:24 PM

if it wernt 4 books, ppl wuld all wryt lyke this, becuz its all thay no.

It was painful for me to type that way. I think books are still essential. Looking at it from the point of view of someone who simply loves books, it's nice to be able to just pick one up and start reading, or take it out with me. From a more practical standpoint, if someone does all of their reading from their tablet or phone or what-have-you, they have to carry around a device they paid several hundred dollars for. What happens if you forget it on the lunch counter, or on the bus? You lose your books, magazines, etc, and you're out all that money. If you forget a book, odds are it will either be turned in to a lost and found somewhere, or you can just buy a new one.

I know some adults who have never read an entire book voluntarily in their lives. The majority of people today simply don't care about literature and storytelling. Just look at the novels making headlines today; fucking Twilight and Fifty Shades of Grey. No one is going to convince me that these stories are on par with Huxley, Heinlein, Dante or Tolkien. But that's what people are able to make themselves read; something simple that appeals to their need to rub one out.

For the rest of us, the people that really crave a well-written story and the immersion that comes with it, books will always be important. They are a symbol of culture and an accomplishment of society, besides being enjoyable. They provide different worlds to explore, different people to meet, different lives to experience. And part of that experience, I think, is the printing of those stories on paper. You just don't get the same feeling from a machine. It feels artificial, like it's being spoon fed to you. To me, at least.

**El Gringo** · 07-31-2012, 07:09 PM

Real books are tangible. After the shit hits the fan who wants to be starring at a piece of plastic with a screen that no longer works.

I'm all about longevity. If you cant hold it; you dont own it.

One thing I've been noticing lately is the amount of screw-ups when I'm reading... it's as if there's no one that proof reads anything before it goes into print.

**droid** · 07-31-2012, 08:26 PM

Books do not require an internet connection or a power source.

Yes, I believe they still hold a place in our and all future societies.

Until we can get talking rings like in the H.G. Wells novel, "The Time Machine", I'd rather see books in my life.

**EOD13** · 07-31-2012, 09:01 PM

People also said that magazines and newspapers would be taken over by electronic copies... Even with some lengthy online articles, I'll print them out to read just because it's easier.
I would rather wait couple weeks for a magazine anyway... you just can't beat it

**ded i** · 08-02-2012, 05:22 PM

Originally Posted by waterdogs

I`ve heard that libraries all over the place are discarding books by the dumpsterfull....

I've been reading about this too - sad ...

Originally Posted by EOD13

People also said that magazines and newspapers would be taken over by electronic copies... Even with some lengthy online articles, I'll print them out to read just because it's easier.
I would rather wait couple weeks for a magazine anyway... you just can't beat it

I'm afraid it is coming. Natural resource depletion ... my bank charges a fee if I want a paper statement.

As Droid mentioned - sad when the connection fails.

I don't want to be 'connected' all the time - wtf ... I like having bookshelves in my studio. I like the way books look and feel.
I also like my computer, but I want both ...

**Tinysd** · 08-02-2012, 05:41 PM

My mom used to take my sister and I to a used book store all the time. To this day the smell of an old book brings back those great memories.

We can romanticize the paper book all we want, but in the end, reading is reading. Hell, I subscribed to the local paper for 15 years, but have not read a paper in the 7 years since I cancelled my subscription. I don't miss it at all.

My sister belongs to a couple of book clubs and all the members have switched to Kindle. My email, computer and cell phone hating sister made the switch without an issue.

I still don't like it, but know that I need to give it a chance, though it would be a bitch without power.

**batgirl13** · 08-04-2012, 12:54 AM

I'm not going to lie, I'm a bit biased as I'm a certified English Teacher and extreme book nerd. However, I do think they are still needed. There are a way of keeping public record, a form of entertainment, and a means to educate one's self that can't be stopped by a power outage. If the power goes out, light a candle and you can still read your book, if the battery dies on your e-reader your up the creek without a paddle..