Some Speculation on the Future of the Book

The continuing debate over the future of the book is a highly charged one that is too frequently driven by prophecy rather than evidence. The introduction of technological change rarely completely displaces older technologies especially when the older technologies are as much a part of the fabric of the culture as well as the book. The major direction of the competing communication technology is seen as an evolving process where the electronic forums of materials will eventually find a form that realizes their potential among the functions traditionally associated only with the book.