No newspapers in the next decade?

[razz]

I am reading in several sources that newspapers are facing extermination over the next decade since so many, like me, get their news online. We still have a subscription to the local paper for local news and obits

Apparently, TV is not getting the expected number of 'eyeballs' either so advertisers are looking elsewhere.

Between the e-books like Kindle etc., even libraries are forecast to be places to warm oneself. Having a hard time with this concept but definitely books are declining in number and in volume of donations to fundraising booksales.

Is this good for the environment? Are e-books the solution or part of a problem of disposal?

Looking for ideas and perspectives on this.

[Stella]

I don't think books will go away completely, but newspapers really are having a tough time of it.

I think it will be interesting to see how the landscape changes over the next several decades. I mostly like that publishing has gone from being something only a select few can really afford to do to something more readily available to the masses.

I'm not sure about the environmental impact of e-readers. That's a good question and something I hadn't really thought about.

[puglogic]

I work at our local library, and can't see that it will ever go away as a result of e-books. The people we serve are people like SL'ers here, who don't want to pay for a book themselves if they can share it with others (or a CD, or a DVD, or a book on disc). We also help the community get online, learn how to use computers, write resumes, search for jobs, do research, find financial information, and learn useful and marketable skills. The shrill "no-taxes" folks might eventually gut the system, but if they do I think it would be a real disservice to the people who use this public resource wisely.

[dado potato]

I subscribe to the NYTimes Sunday print edition. I can take 3-4 days to read all the articles I am interested in. (It isn't what I would call "hot news"). As a subscriber I also have online access to the daily electronic edition. Recently I viewed more than 200 photos (among close to 500 that were available) of the snowstorm online. Maybe the future of viable newspapers is some sort of combination of print & online journalism... figuring out a way for advertisers as well as subscribers to pay for value received.

puglogic, I doubt that libraries ever will be able to show objectively all the value that they contribute to a community. And, I am sad to say you may be right: under fiscal strain I can foresee library closures in the future. FWIW, I (like Harry S Truman) learned more from library books than I learned in school (1960-1972). But libraries do not confer degrees, as colleges do. For about 8 years after I graduated from university I continued to frequent libraries, and to read voraciously. After that, I went to libraries mainly as a parent with a kid in tow. And now, whenever the grand-kids are here, one of the stops is always the library.

[iris lily]

...puglogic, I doubt that libraries ever will be able to show objectively all the value that they contribute to a community. ..

There are methodologies for doing just that:

http://dpi.state.wi.us/pld/econimpact.html

[mira]

puglogic, I doubt that libraries ever will be able to show objectively all the value that they contribute to a community.

Much research has already been done concerning this very issue (social/community impact studies). But of course, as libraries are seen by many local governments as non-essential resources (despite evidence for contributing to things like community cohesion, lifelong learning, etc), they end up at the bottom at the priority list as far as the budget is concerned.

Additionally, there are some people with lots of power but very little sense. My favourite example is of school principals getting rid of their school librarians and/or libraries because "Google provides us with all the information we need".

[jp1]

My favourite example is of school principals getting rid of their school librarians and/or libraries because "Google provides us with all the information we need".

What a frustrating thing to hear. As someone mentioned earlier in the thread, sort of, it's not that the info isn't there freely available, it's that finding what you need is difficult. Without a school librarian who is going to teach the kids how to sort through and find the relevant info. Being able to sort the crap out from the good stuff is a skill that has to be learned. A school librarian is the perfect person for that task.

[mira]

^ Exactly. Unfortunately, in many cases, school administrators have a very poor grasp of what a school librarian actually does (after all, how card can stamping books and putting them on a shelf be?? ). There's very little collaboration. This is made worse by school librarians often being classed as 'clerical staff' or similiar, instead of head of department.

Of course, there are also schools where the library and librarian are highly valued. I'm lucky enough to work in one, but alas, administrators don't allow the librarian to conduct information skills sessions as often as she would like (eg. in a progressive series of lessons) because "academic study" takes priority (but how can you be ready for university when all your information comes from Wikipedia?!).

(I'm sensing this is for an whole other topic entirely - sorry for hijacking the thread!!)

[Jilly]

I volunteer at our library, and I do not see it going away anytime soon. Our library is planning on opening a satellite location to better serve our patrons. Even with budgetary cuts throughout our municipalities, there is always a way to find the funds you need. Well, at least so far.

[Simplemind]

I read the newspaper every morning with a cup of coffee. If I am out of coffee I can't read the newspaper. If the newspaper doesn't get delivered then I won't put the coffee on until they bring it to my door. Sure I could try to read it online but I don't like it in that format. My eyes tire of the computer screen quickly. I can read a good old fashioned book or newspaper for hours. Oh God....... I have turned into my mother!