What will libraries smell like when all the books are gone?

From a journalistic standpoint, I'm a bit late in bringing this up, but I think there's still a lot of frenzy going on about it, at least here in Texas, and so I'm going to just put it out there for y'all to consider. Plus, this is a blog, not a newspaper, and thus it is my purpose to commentate on whatever I find intriguing.

So, last week, the Houston Press wrote a post in their "Hair Balls" blog about some changes that Lamar High School, a public magnet school, recently made to their library.

Apparently they threw out all the books.

The way the article reads, they might as well have used them for an end-of-season bonfire out on the football field.

Now that all those silly books are out of the way, there's plenty of room for new laptops, e-readers, and yes, even a coffee bar.

My first thought was, "Why wasn't there a coffee bar in MY high school library? I might have actually gone in every once in a while."

(The answer, dear readers, is that I graduated 6.5 years ago, before the dawn of this "e-reader era," and I went to high school in the middle of a smelly, smelly corn field in Northern Michigan where the technology was definitely not on the cutting edge. Just saying. Much love, OHHS. Even though I can't find anything of value to link to.)

Okay, that wasn't actually my first thought. My first thought was, "OH MY GOSH. WHY DID THEY THROW AWAY THE BOOKS??? THE BOOKS, PEOPLE! WHAT HAPPENED TO THE BOOKS?!?!"

And then I slowed down a little, remembered that the Houston Press, while an interesting and often entertaining piece of "journalism," is a very very liberal publication that, more often than not, publishes articles in a certain way for the express purpose of starting a fire.

Burn, baby, burn.

It has exploded, at least in my little world. People are FREAKING OUT. Is this a good thing? Is this a terrible thing? Why have they done this thing? But where are all the books? And why is the rum gone?*

And the question least asked: What exactly is this thing they've done?

After glancing through several articles on the topic, I have emerged without yet a clear understanding.

The new claim is that none of the books were thrown away, and there are even some books still in the library/coffee shop/land o' knowledge and turmoil. Most are, however, gone. Gone to charities or other schools or students or somewhere supposedly not a dumpster.

Whatever. Whether that's true or not, it doesn't change the question: Is this a good thing?

The school now has access to thousands upon thousands of titles -- way more than the building could ever hold, through a subscription service of sorts. Yes, that's amazing. I'd love to have access to that kind of knowledge.

OH WAIT I DO! It's called a library. And if they don't have the books I need, they can get it through this magical tried-and-true system called Interlibrary Loan.

Instead of ordering those books, you now have to have a laptop or internet access to reach them. Sure, almost everyone has that these days. Not everyone. But if you don't, there's always the library (ironic).

But what about checking out a book on bats, just to leaf through the pages and let their mysteries unfold? Or picking up a historical fiction novel and laying out in the hammock while you read? What about stacking up piles and piles of books to write that research paper that takes a very strange spin in the middle based on that one figment of fact you weren't even looking for but found on the page the first book happened to open to?

What about the legacy that we're leaving? If all our technology is someday wiped out, what will be left? What artifacts will future generations have to know and understand us? An empty screen?

To illustrate my point, I turn to my second-favorite little white terrier, a long-adored pup named Wishbone. You know you used to watch the show, don't lie. It was like the best ever. The episode in question is Bark to the Future, based on The Time Machine by H.G. Wells. Skip to 2:05 for the important part. You can stop it at 5:00. Or watch the whole thing (I won't tell).



We like search engines over card catalogs because they're convenient. They're easy. We like e-books because they put the world at our fingertips. The technology is incredible, the capabilities are astounding, and yes, the renewed student interest should not go unnoticed.

But is this better?

Is it actually better to bring the world to ourselves rather than search it out?

What are we losing in exchange?

And, truly the most important point, what about the smell of books? That delightful, wonderful smell that permeates every bookstore and library you've ever been set foot in, which at once accosts you and welcomes you?

That, my friends, is the smell of knowledge. Of mystery, of comedy, and of romance. Of fact, fiction, poetry, and how-to.

Take a great big whiff. It is glorious, and it may soon be extinct.



*They're not actually asking that. Captain Jack Sparrow is, though. And now I might be too.