Every advance in information technology involves choosing…
““Every advance in information technology involves choosing what you want to preserve and what you want to ditch. Scanning rare books on to microfilm is a costly business. The library won't let you do it yourself - they decide first which books should be scanned and which should just rot away in the basement. Against that eventuality, people should start hoarding the kind of books committees of rational people will decide against scanning into a database.””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
Choosing what to digitize reflects values; some works are saved, others abandoned, shaping cultural memory.
In simple terms: Deciding what to keep or discard determines future knowledge.
Key Takeaway
Be intentional about what you preserve.
Themes
preservation
technology
culture
choice
Mood
reflective
concerned
Type
analytical
advisory
When to use this quote
- library policy decisions
- personal archiving
- academic research
- heritage conservation
Key Concepts
digital archiving
information ethics
cultural memory
Questions to Reflect On
- What criteria should guide preservation?
- How do we balance accessibility with completeness?
A Different Perspective
Limited resources mean not all material can be saved, risking loss of niche knowledge.