With the vast increase in online resources today, libraries with print books are not a necessity for today's society.
隨著網(wǎng)絡(luò)資源的巨大增長,擁有印刷書籍的圖書館對當(dāng)今社會來說已經(jīng)不是必要的了。
It is indeed true that digital resources today far outstrip what can be put and stored in print books. Almost any kind of book can now be accessed digitally and those that can't be will soon be changed to a digital format. Some people, therefore, believe that libraries with print books are no longer needed.
事實(shí)上,今天的數(shù)字資源遠(yuǎn)遠(yuǎn)超過了印刷書籍中的數(shù)字資源?,F(xiàn)在,幾乎任何種類的書都可以通過數(shù)字方式訪問,而那些無法訪問的書很快就會改為數(shù)字格式。因此,有些人認(rèn)為不再需要有印刷書籍的圖書館。
If one looks at this issue dispassionately, it seems far more logical that people now should only read books digitally. Itonly requires a single computer or electronic reader and anindividual can have access to the history of literature and works on all other fields. The costs involved with setting, typing, printing and distributing print books would practically disappear and this would make things more convenient and much cheaper. An actual library building would be totally unnecessary, as all one would need wouldbe a' virtual library' as a website and all works could beaccessed through this portal. There would not even be any need to leave the house to gain access to anything one needed. This would seem to be the most logical way of proceeding.
如果人們冷靜地看待這個(gè)問題,那么人們現(xiàn)在只應(yīng)該以數(shù)字方式閱讀書籍似乎更合乎邏輯。它只需要一臺電腦或電子閱讀器,個(gè)人就可以訪問文學(xué)史和所有其他領(lǐng)域的作品。設(shè)置、打字、打印和分發(fā)印刷書籍所涉及的成本實(shí)際上將消失,這將使事情變得更方便、更便宜。實(shí)際的圖書館建筑是完全沒有必要的,因?yàn)槿藗兯枰闹皇且粋€(gè)作為網(wǎng)站的“虛擬圖書館”,所有作品都可以通過這個(gè)門戶訪問。甚至不需要離開房子就能獲得任何所需的東西。這似乎是最合乎邏輯的處理方式。
Logic, however, is not always the best approach to everything. Print books have a long history with humanity and our relationship with real books is not something that can be changed overnight. Many people, including younger readers, feel that there is something special about having a book with real paper and needing to turn pages. There will therefore for the time being be a future for print books and libraries.
然而,邏輯并不總是解決一切問題的最佳方法。印刷書籍與人類有著悠久的歷史,我們與真實(shí)書籍的關(guān)系不是一夜之間就能改變的。包括年輕讀者在內(nèi)的許多人都覺得,擁有一本真正有紙的書并需要翻頁有一些特別之處。因此,印刷書籍和圖書館的未來將暫時(shí)存在。
Libraries will continue to be especially important, as not all older people use computers and e-readers as much as the younger generation. They will still want to read print books and the library is a cheap and convenient place to find them. In addition, if only a few books in print are available in the future, libraries might be one of the few places where they might be accessed. Another purpose that libraries serve is acting as community centres that organise events, education and childcare. Ironically, libraries also provide computers and Internet access for people who cannot afford their own.
圖書館將繼續(xù)特別重要,因?yàn)椴⒎撬欣夏耆硕枷衲贻p一代一樣使用電腦和電子閱讀器。他們?nèi)匀幌腴喿x印刷書籍,而圖書館是一個(gè)既便宜又方便的地方。此外,如果未來只有幾本印刷品,圖書館可能是少數(shù)幾個(gè)可以訪問的地方之一。圖書館的另一個(gè)目的是充當(dāng)社區(qū)中心,組織活動、教育和兒童保育。具有諷刺意味的是,圖書館還為那些買不起自己的電腦的人提供電腦和互聯(lián)網(wǎng)接入。
In spite of the seeming dominance to come of digital books, I feel that there is and will be a place for libraries with print books. This state of affairs might change in the future, but at present, they are important community resources.
盡管數(shù)字圖書似乎占據(jù)了主導(dǎo)地位,但我覺得擁有印刷書籍的圖書館現(xiàn)在和將來都會有一席之地。這種情況在未來可能會改變,但目前,它們是重要的社區(qū)資源。