Brave New World: The Library Without Books

Remember the Star Trek episode where Kirk laughed at his attorney because the attorney brought in real, paperbound books? Once again, Gene Rodenberry proves prophetic:

"In this information-seeking America, I can't think of anyone who would elect to build a books-only library," said Fred Heath, vice provost of the University of Texas Libraries in Austin.

I spend more time in Cyberspace than most folks, yet my computer is in a home office surrounded by books. There is a sterility to computer screens, and I find it difficult to curl up on a rainy day with my laptop.