[Publib] The death of print reference...

[K.G. Schneider]

I was talking with a non-librarian friend a week or two ago (she lives
out west) and she told me how her investment group found a state that a)
offered library cards to just about anyone and b) had Valueline as a
database. She said they felt guilty for using their service but her
library didn't offer this (of course, maybe they do, but that's another
story), and -- note, this is not a high-tech group -- they LOVE
Valueline's database. They don't know it as a book, and would laugh if
anyone said things were better when they had to drive to the library to
use this reference. 

I seriously doubt the vast majority of patrons are missing print
reference. They don't think about "reference" as we do--a collection of
bound books--but they do think in terms of their needs. 

We can always find someone who will go on about the good old days. It's
also true that some books are easier than some databases. Writers'
Marketplace is an appallingly bad database; the book is organized much
better and is far easier to search. Then again, there are free websites
that kick the book's behind, so there you go. 

K.G. Schneider
kgs at freerangelibrarian.com