In Praise of Reading

Extract

In this day of rapidly changing forms of communication, it has become commonplace to question the role of specialty journals, the future of print media, and the existence of libraries. Many claim that the Web will eliminate all of these and that each of us will access information electronically when and if we need it. Within these discussions you will find many pieces of supportive evidence–indeed the slowness of publication within scientific and professional journals seems out of sync with the pace of the world, the ease of access to electronic material does suggest that killing trees and mailing paper to people is inefficient, and, of course, why would you need to go to a library if one existed in virtual form in your own home.

But, on the opposing side, there are equal and perhaps superior pieces of evidence to support not only the continuation but also the increased need for journals, books, and libraries. While it is true that publication in a scientific or professional journal takes an extended period of time, with some journals taking pride in the fact that they have two or more years wait between submission and final publication, it is also true that the review and examination of data that occurs is essential for truthfulness and credibility.

Professions cannot allow their members to continue to practice with out of date information or theories. Science and the professions cannot afford to allow unreviewed information to spread through cyberspace. The potential harmful impact to the…