The same can be said of databases, which are even further removed from narrative form. And the Internet, although extremely useful in many ways, is currently no replacement for a print library. The Web also has no standard information retrieval tools and is completely disorganized, she continues. The library, on the other hand, has an extremely complex indexing system using controlled vocabulary and comprehensive cross-referencing. She also notes that many information sources on the Internet are administered by part-time volunteers.
Sites come and go without notice and quickly go out of date.
So far, there is no guarantee that sites will be archived and available to future generations. One day, the information on the Net could rival the richness of print. One day, when screen resolution improves, we will even be able to read it without squinting. But until then, what will matter in a library, what has always mattered in a library, is the quality of the collection and, of course, the public's ability to access it and use it. All rights reserved.