Reading and writing are mind-extender tools. A library is a mind-extending tool. The World Wide Web can be thought of as a global digital library. The contents of the libraries of the world are gradually being digitized and made available electronically. That means it can be used as a tool in a wide range of situations.
Computers play an increasing role as body extenders.
They control many of the other machines we use, including some technologies such as hearing aids and prostheses that are installed in or on the human body itself. The amount of information stored in libraries and in people's minds is growing rapidly. The complexity of the problems that we expect people to solve continues to increase. A high school diploma is no longer considered adequate for many beginning jobs. We expect people to have a high level of literacy and problem-solving skills.