Whither the book?

Extract

The prophets of gloom and the champions of progress are never done trying to discourage or inspire us with their various prognostications. Surveys show that fewer books are being read and Libraries find their budgets are increasingly being eaten up by subscriptions to ever more expensive periodicals. With electronic publication, collective authorship may seem to replace the individual writer. Furthermore, there is not, as yet, any adequate control over the veracity and reliability of information put up on the Internet.