Though McKeldin Library is sensitive to the trend away from print media, it isn't going to stray from print and leave the Lennon Peakes of the world in a virtual universe. They have greater range and depth. If you're doing historical research from 1900 you aren't going to find that online. Hunter agrees that print media has other benefits that electronic media can not offer. Articles tend not to be as in-depth.
Books have more depth.
The main books being phased out are the print catologues such as Readers' Guide to Periodical Literature and the now archaic card catalogue. Students can now use VictorWeb or other electronic catalogues to access such information more quickly. Ultimately, the library is trying to ensure students use both electronic resources as well as print resources. We use high quality electronic and integrate it with print. The reference by e-mail system that McKeldin Library offers on its website is an example.